The South African human rights lawyer and judge Navi Pillay, who has held an honorary doctorate from Erasmus University Rotterdam since 2016, is to receive this year’s Nobel Peace Prize. The Norwegian Nobel Committee is honouring her exceptional courage and integrity in the fight to prosecute war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.
From apartheid in South Africa to the global legal order
Navanethem "Navi" Pillay was born into an Indian Tamil family in Durban, South Africa, during the apartheid era. Her daily experience of oppression and discrimination fuelled her determination to use the law to combat injustice. In 1967, she set up her own law firm, from which she defended anti-apartheid activists such as Nelson Mandela. She also championed the rights of political prisoners.
In 1973, Pillay achieved a breakthrough by organising legal representation and basic services for prisoners on Robben Island. She later became the first female judge of colour to sit on the High Court of South Africa, appointed by Nelson Mandela in 1995. She subsequently held key roles in the international legal system: as a judge at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, at the International Criminal Court and as the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Honorary doctorate from Erasmus University Rotterdam
During the twentieth Mandeville Lecture on Thursday 9 June 2016, Navi Pillay was awarded an honorary doctorate by Erasmus University Rotterdam, presented by honorary supervisors Karin Arts, Professor of International Law and Development at the International Institute of Social Studies, and Kristin Henrard, Professor of Human Rights and Minorities at the Erasmus School of Law. During her lecture, "Current Migration Challenges: A Human Rights Perspective", Pillay discussed the migration crisis and emphasised that adhering to human rights principles is the only effective way to manage migration. Pillay warned against xenophobia, rejection and aggression, and highlighted the danger of using migration for political and electoral purposes.
She called on the European Union to act in accordance with its own laws and principles on human rights and emphasised that failure to comply with international obligations sets a bad example. According to Pillay, international treaties on human rights, refugee law and the law of the sea are even more relevant during crises than in peacetime.
Erasmus University Rotterdam’s decision to award Navi Pillay an honorary doctorate underlined the importance the university attaches to justice, human rights and international cooperation.
Nobel Peace Prize 2026
The Norwegian Nobel Committee has awarded the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize to Navi Pillay “for her dedication to promoting peace and international law”. The jury praises her "extraordinary courage and integrity" and her "strong moral compass". According to the committee, Pillay has significantly expanded the scope and impact of international law by taking legal action against war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.
Pillay is currently a judge at the International Court of Justice in the case in which Myanmar is accused of genocide against the Rohingya. Previously, she served as a judge at the International Criminal Court and the Rwanda Tribunal, and as the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. Until recently, she was Chair of the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, and she is a Commissioner of the International Commission Against the Death Penalty.
According to Karin Arts, Professor of International Law and Development at the ISS, the Nobel Committee has made an excellent choice: "Navi Pillay has made an impressive contribution to the development of international law, human rights, gender justice, and the protection of marginalized people. She has done so both in her native South Africa, during and after apartheid, and internationally. Her work is characterized by a magnificent combination of professionalism, legal expertise, diplomatic skill, and personal courage. Throughout her career, she has championed subjects such as discrimination, sexual violence in conflict situations, the right to development, LGBTQ+ rights, genocide in Palestine, and the abolition of the death penalty. Sadly, these issues remain urgent today, but Pillay’s focus on them has undoubtedly been significant. This Nobel Peace Prize is a richly deserved honor for a female jurist of exceptional stature who serves as an inspiring role model for many. At a time like this, it is also highly welcome that the prize underscores the importance of the international legal order and international institutions such as the United Nations, the International Criminal Court (ICC), and the International Court of Justice (ICJ)."
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