Navi Pillay | The jurist and a redemption
The Nobel Peace Prize for 2026 is as much a recognition of the South African jurist’s lifelong commitment to justice for the oppressed and the powerless as it is a rebuke to the idea that might is right
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The Nobel Peace Prize for 2026 is as much a recognition of the South African jurist’s lifelong commitment to justice for the oppressed and the powerless as it is a rebuke to the idea that might is right
Haxie Meyers-Belkin is pleased to welcome Rosa Freedman, Professor of Law Conflict and Global Development at the University of Reading. Navi Pillay's career represents a remarkable contribution to international law and human rights, from her pioneering role in post-apartheid South Africa to her work at the United Nations. Yet her legacy also raises difficult questions about political impartiality, particularly in relation to Israel and Gaza. She believes we need to distinguish between the significance of her lifelong achievements and the controversy surrounding the decision to award her the Nobel Peace Prize at this particular moment. More broadly, this debate invites us to examine whether the prize is recognising individual merit or increasingly serving as a vehicle for political messaging. At a time when international law and multilateral institutions face mounting pressure, and serious threats, Freedman asserts that the challenge is to scrutinise their shortcomings without undermining the principles they exist to uphold.
International Court of Justice judge Navi Pillay has been awarded this year’s Nobel Peace Prize.
Former U.N. human rights chief Navanethem “Navi” Pillay, a judge on the International Court of Justice, won the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday in Oslo, Norway.