Navi Pillay is the 21st woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize since 1901; remember winners

South African Navi Pillay, announced as the winner of the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize this Friday (9), is the 21st woman to receive the prize since its creation in 1901.

She was chosen for "her efforts to promote peace and international law." A South African jurist of Indian origin, she was a judge at the International Criminal Court (ICC) and United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Last year, a UN commission led by Pillay, which investigated the war in the Gaza Strip, concluded that Israel had committed genocide against the Palestinians — Tel Aviv condemned the report.

The first female laureate was Austrian Bertha von Suttner, in 1905. Since then, the award has gone to women in 18 editions, individually or shared.

In contrast, 92 men received the award in the same period.

This is the second year in a row that a woman has been awarded. Last year, the opponent of the Venezuelan dictatorship María Corina Machado was chosen. Even though she gave her medal to the President of the United States, Donald Trump, the honor remains hers, as the award cannot be transferred, shared or revoked.

Remember, below, the list of women who won the Nobel Peace Prize.