Nobel Peace Prize 2026: Navi Pillay

WHAT HAPPENED On 9 October 2026 the Norwegian Nobel Committee announced in Oslo that the Nobel Peace Prize for 2026 goes to Navanethem "Navi" Pillay, a South African jurist and former United Nations human rights chief. The committee's chair, Jørgen Watne Frydnes, said the choice is a reminder that the rule of law, within countries and between them, is what lets conflicts be settled without violence. The committee said the prize is for her efforts to promote peace and international law. WHO IS NAVI PILLAY - She is 85 years old and was born in South Africa. - She worked as a lawyer in the apartheid era and defended anti-apartheid activists, and she became the first woman of colour to serve on South Africa's High Court. - She was a judge at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, where rulings established that rape and sexual violence can be acts of genocide and crimes against humanity. - She served as a judge of the International Criminal Court (2003 to 2008) and as the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. - She later chaired a UN commission of inquiry on Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory. Israel and the United States criticised the award after it was announced. THE PRIZE - 287 candidates were nominated this year: 208 individuals and 79 organisations. - The prize money is 12 million Swedish kronor (about 1.2 million US dollars). - The award ceremony takes place in Oslo on 10 December. EXAM ANGLE - The Peace Prize is the only Nobel prize announced and presented in Norway; the others are in Sweden. - The committee has five members appointed by the Norwegian Parliament (Storting). - Keywords to remember: Norwegian Nobel Committee, Navi Pillay, international law, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, ICC, ICTR. Published on 9 Oct 2026. Sources: Norwegian Nobel Committee announcement as reported by CNN, CBS News, Al Jazeera and RTE. Confirm details on nobelprize.org before an exam.