South African female lawyer Pillay wins the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize

Navanethem Pillay, 85, was born in Durban, South Africa, to Indian-Tamil parents. She worked as a lawyer in South Africa since the 1960s, providing legal defense for anti-apartheid activists and being active in the campaign against torture. In 1995, she became the first non-white judge of the High Court in Natal, South Africa.

Pillay served as President of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda from 1999 to 2003, and later as a judge at the International Criminal Court in The Hague. From 2008 to 2014, she served as the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

After this, Pillay served as chairman of the United Nations Commission of Inquiry on the Palestinian Territories. In September 2025, the committee she led issued a report accusing Israel of committing genocide in the Gaza Strip. Israel dismissed the report as "outrageous".

After the news that Pillay won this year's Nobel Peace Prize was announced, the German federal government congratulated the 85-year-old lawyer. A government spokesman said Pillay "has fought tirelessly for human rights, justice and the enforcement of international law for decades with great personal dedication and admirable perseverance".

Human rights group Amnesty International welcomed Oslo's decision as "the right signal at the right time". Julia Duchrow, Secretary General of Amnesty International Germany, emphasized that Pillay has always been outspoken about the nature of crimes, no matter who committed them. "This is exactly the courage that many governments today lack. They will only defend international law when it is in their own political interests."

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa also congratulated Pillay and said awarding the Nobel Peace Prize to Pillay was a tribute to her lifelong commitment to justice, peace and human dignity.