Nobel Peace Prize 2026 awarded to Navi Pillay

The Nobel Peace Prize for 2026 has been awarded to Navi Pillay. The lawyer and human rights activist from South Africa, Navanethem "Navi" Pillay, has become the laureate of the Nobel Peace Prize for 2026. This was announced by the Norwegian Nobel Committee.

The award was given for efforts to promote peace and international law. The Nobel Committee emphasized that Pillay made a crucial contribution to the development of judicial prosecution for war crimes, genocide, and crimes against humanity, as well as to the strengthening of international legal institutions against the backdrop of an increase in the number of armed conflicts.

From 2008 to 2014, Pillay held the post of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. Previously, she worked as a judge of the High Court of South Africa, the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, and the International Criminal Court. From 2021 to 2025, the lawyer headed the UN Independent International Commission to investigate events on the occupied Palestinian territories, and also serves as an ad hoc judge of the UN International Court in the case of the genocide of the Rohingya in Myanmar.

In 2026, 287 candidates competed for the peace prize, including 208 individuals and 79 organizations. The size of the cash award is 12 million Swedish kronor, and the award ceremony will take place on December 10 in Oslo.