Navanethem Pillay wins 2026 Nobel Peace Prize

Pillay, born in 1941, grew up under apartheid and became one of South Africa's first women of Indian descent to practice law, defending anti-apartheid activists and challenging discriminatory prison conditions. Following the end of apartheid, she served as a judge on the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, where she played a role in establishing legal precedents recognizing rape as an act of genocide. She later held positions as a judge at the International Criminal Court and as the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights from 2008 to 2014.

More recently, Pillay chaired a UN commission investigating human rights violations in Israel and the Palestinian territories. The Nobel Peace Prize comes with a cash award of 12 million Swedish kronor, equivalent to approximately $1.2 million or €1 million.

The UN human rights office welcomed the news, with spokesperson Shabia Mantoo telling reporters in Geneva, "It is amazing news, we need more dedication and commitment to human rights."