UN and international praise for Navi Pillay winning the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize

International reactions welcomed the winning of the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize by South African human rights activist Navi Pillay, amid praise for her role in defending human rights, promoting international justice, and holding those responsible for grave violations accountable.

On Friday, the United Nations Human Rights Office welcomed Pillay's winning of the award, praising her long career in defending human rights.

Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said: “Giving the award to Pillay represents a victory for human rights and for all those seeking justice and accountability, including through international judicial mechanisms.”

He added that the Nobel Committee's decision confirms the importance of efforts aimed at establishing justice and accountability at the global level.

Türk holds the position of High Commissioner for Human Rights, succeeding Pillay, who held the position between 2008 and 2014, during which she worked to strengthen the protection of basic rights and support international accountability mechanisms.

For its part, the International Criminal Court considered that awarding the Nobel Peace Prize to its former judge Navi Pillay represents an important recognition of the role of international justice as a basic pillar of peace.

The court said that the honor reflects the importance of international judicial institutions in confronting serious crimes, promoting the principle of non-impunity, and holding those responsible for grave violations of international law accountable.

Following the announcement of the award, the Norwegian Nobel Committee confirmed to Agence France-Presse that it does not take a position on whether genocide was committed in Gaza, stressing that the decision on this issue is up to the competent international judicial bodies.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee itself indicated in the merits of the award that Pillay was a “key element” in the prosecution of the perpetrators of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide, and that her work represents a “source of hope and inspiration” for those seeking a more peaceful world.

Diri Tladi, a South African judge at the International Court of Justice, welcomed Pillay's win, describing the award as "fully deserved" after a career dedicated to making the world a better place.

She also congratulated South African human rights activist Yasmine Souka Pillay, considering that the award culminates decades of work in defending justice and human rights, and places it in the context of the South African legacy that linked peace, justice and human dignity.

Navi Pillay is one of the most prominent legal and human rights figures in South Africa. In addition to assuming the position of United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, she served as a judge at the International Criminal Court, and her name was associated with international efforts to promote accountability for crimes against humanity, genocide, and war crimes.

Today, Friday, the Norwegian Nobel Committee announces the winner of the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize, in the capital, Oslo, at 11 a.m. local time (09:00 GMT), after studying 287 nominations, including 208 individuals and 79 organizations.

Some experts believe that the committee will tend to choose a humanitarian party to avoid causing controversy, with the names of organizations concerned with children's rights emerging, such as "Save the Children", in addition to the "Emergency Response Rooms" in Sudan, which is a wide network of volunteers who risk their lives to help the population in the face of war and hunger.

Karim Hajjaj, President of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), said that the “emergency response rooms” are his preferred choice for the award, noting that the conflict in Sudan has received less attention than it deserves, despite the enormous human suffering it has caused.

On the other hand, the committee may choose another winner who will displease US President Donald Trump, who has not given up his ambition to win the award. This comes after last year's winner, Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, gave him her gold medal, noting that the Nobel rules do not allow the award itself to be transferred to another person.

The financial value of the award this year is 12 million Swedish krona, or about 1.2 million US dollars.

The winner of the Nobel Peace Prize will be announced in Oslo on Friday, amid much focus this year on the reaction of US President Donald Trump, who has often dreamed of obtaining it since his return to the White House in 2025.

The winner's name is scheduled to be announced at 11:00 am at the Nobel Institute in Oslo.

In a world ravaged by conflicts and crises, 287 individuals and organizations were nominated for the highest diplomatic and humanitarian award this year.

The only thing that experts agree on is that the winner will not be Trump, despite his statements that lack evidence about ending eight wars, and his assertion that he is the most deserving candidate for the award. "They have a reputation that they might not give to people like me... and I think that would be a disgrace to them," Trump said Wednesday, adding, "I'm not saying that out of disdain."

In Oslo, the US president is generally seen as unfit to win because of his war against Iran, his expansionist ambitions, as in the case of Greenland, his hard-line stance on immigrants, and his attacks on multilateralism and the media.

Regardless of who the Norwegian Nobel Committee chooses, its selection may be interpreted as a direct or indirect criticism of the Republican billionaire.

The head of the Peace Research Institute in Oslo (PRIO) Haakon Gerlo said the committee should ask itself whether the Nobel Prize might "do more harm than good" for the winner, given the potential backlash from the White House.

Last year the award was given to Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, a choice deemed acceptable to Trump. Machado even gave him her gold medal for the award, considering that he deserved it after the arrest of President Nicolas Maduro, even though she did not receive his political support in return.

The Nobel Committee's reasons for selecting Peace Prize winners have changed fundamentally since 1901, as the focus shifted from promoting peace to defending human rights, a trend that gained momentum during the Cold War, according to an analysis by Agence France-Presse. At the same time, the Nobel Committee confirms that it is not subject to any external pressure. Committee Secretary Christian Berg Harboken told AFP, "Of course we have to discuss the matter, but that does not affect the discussions taking place within the room or the decisions it issues."

Consensus or not?

Experts believe that choosing a winner with broad consensus, such as an individual or organization working in the field of child protection or humanitarian efforts, would reduce the possibility of inciting Trump's wrath. The list of potential candidates may include Save the Children and Ukrainian Mykola Kuleba, who is leading a campaign to return children who were illegally transferred to Russia, an issue of particular interest to US First Lady Melania Trump.

Sudan's Emergency Response Rooms, a vast network of volunteers who risk their lives to help populations cope with war and hunger, may be among the possible candidates.

Karim Hajjaj, head of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), said that “emergency response rooms” are his preferred choice for the award.

"Unfortunately, the conflict in Sudan has been forgotten, a conflict that has truly caused enormous human suffering," he told AFP.

However, the committee may choose another winner who could displease Trump.

Names may include Francesca Albanese, UN Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories, the Pope, an award recognizing press freedom such as the Committee to Protect Journalists, or honoring international justice bodies such as the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice.

After the announcement of the Nobel Peace Prize, this year's awards season concludes on Monday with the announcement of the winner of the Economics Prize.