South African Navi Pillay jurist wins Nobel Peace Prize 2026

South African human rights lawyer Navi Pillay has been awarded the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize for her contributions to promoting peace, human rights and international law, while US President Donald Trump has once again missed out on the prestigious honour.

The Nobel Committee announced the decision on Friday, recognising Pillay’s longstanding efforts to defend human rights and strengthen international justice.

Born in 1941 in Durban, South Africa, Pillay comes from a family of Indian origin. She grew up during the country’s apartheid era, when racial discrimination shaped the lives of millions of people. She became one of the early women of Indian descent in South Africa to pursue a legal career.

Throughout her career, Pillay defended anti-apartheid activists in court and campaigned against poor conditions in prisons. Her legal work focused on protecting fundamental rights and challenging abuses of power.

Following the end of apartheid, Pillay became a judge at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda. During her tenure, she played a significant role in advancing the recognition of sexual violence, including rape, as a crime under international law and as an instrument of genocide.

Her work at the tribunal contributed to the development of international legal standards for prosecuting serious crimes committed during armed conflicts.

Pillay later served as the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights from 2008 to 2014. In that position, she worked on issues involving civil liberties, accountability and the protection of vulnerable communities worldwide.

More recently, she was appointed to lead a United Nations commission investigating human rights violations in Gaza and Israel, further highlighting her involvement in international human rights efforts.

The Nobel Peace Prize is awarded to individuals or organisations that make significant contributions to promoting peace, improving relations between nations and advancing efforts to reduce armed conflict.

The award was established through the legacy of Swedish businessman Alfred Nobel, who invented dynamite and left most of his fortune to fund the Nobel Prizes. The first Nobel Prizes were presented in 1901.

Trump has repeatedly expressed his desire to receive the Nobel Peace Prize over the past two years. However, he has failed to secure the recognition again this year, following his omission from last year’s award.

Several countries have previously supported Trump’s candidacy, with Pakistan also among those that backed him for the honour.