The 2026 Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to South African judge Navanethem 'Navi' Pillay for her "efforts to promote peace and international law". The 85-year-old, a former United Nations human rights chief, is a judge at the International Court of Justice in the case in which Myanmar stands accused of genocide against the Rohingya minority.
Committee chairman praises Pillay's career
Jorgen Watne Frydnes, chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, said: "A common thread runs from her early work defending Nelson Mandela and others who stood up against apartheid to her service as a judge in some of the key international court cases of our time." Mr Frydnes said the committee had not yet been able to reach Ms Pillay to inform her of the award. Addressing her directly, he said that if she was watching and saw a call coming in from a Norwegian phone number, she should "please pick up".
Mr Frydnes described Ms Pillay as "one of the most respected international jurists of our time". He added: "Navi Pillay is a judge on the International Court of Justice in the case where Myanmar stands accused of genocide. She has shown that legal measures can help prevent acts of war and violence. Navi Pillay has also contributed to strengthen the institutions of international law."
Pillay's legal pioneering
Born into a family of Indian Tamil origin under apartheid in Durban, South Africa, Pillay became a lawyer and legal pioneer, confronting deep structural discrimination, segregation and exclusion. She was the first woman to start a law practice in her home province of Natal in 1967. She then acted as a defense attorney for anti-apartheid activists, exposing torture and helping establish key rights for prisoners on Robben Island.
Mr Frydnes said: "Navi Pillay's commitment to universal legal principles and her firm moral compass are constants in a long career." He continued: "This year's laureate has significantly enlarged the scope and impact of international law. She has served as a judge on the High Court in South Africa, the International Criminal Tribunal of Rwanda and the International Criminal Court. She was the United Nations high commissioner for human rights and, until recently, she chaired the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the occupied Palestinian territory."
Trump beaten again
Ms Pillay's win means US President Donald Trump has once again been beaten to the prestigious award - after insisting that he deserved it. He told reporters on Wednesday that it would be a "great discredit" to the committee if he were overlooked. Trump said: "I don't know what their decision's going to be. They have a reputation for maybe not giving it to people like me. But whether I get it or not, I have done far more, and I think it would be a great discredit to them."
Pope Leo XIV and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney had been among the favourites to receive the gong. Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado won the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize after months of Trump arguing he deserved the award for his alleged efforts to end several wars. Machado was awarded the prize for her "struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy".
Prize background
This year marks the 125th anniversary of the prize, which has so far been awarded to 112 individuals and 28 separate institutions since its inception in 1901. The Red Cross has won three times and the UN refugee agency twice. Women have made up just 20 of the 112 individual laureates, although eight women have won the prize over the past 15 years.
According to the Nobel Prize website, the Norwegian Nobel Institute has registered a total of 287 candidates for this year's peace prize, of which 208 are individuals and 79 are organisations. The identity of the nominees and other information about the nominations cannot be revealed until 50 years later. Last year's number of candidates was higher, with 244 individuals and 94 organisations nominated. In 2024, there were 286 nominees. The highest number of nominees was in 2016, with 376 candidates.
