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U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres congratulated Navanethem "Navi" Pillay on winning the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize on Friday, praising her decades-long commitment to defending international law, human rights and justice.
In a statement, Guterres described Pillay as a leading advocate for human rights who had maintained an independent voice in some of the most significant international legal cases of recent decades.
He said her career demonstrated that "the force of law must prevail over the law of force," emphasizing the importance of protecting human rights and holding those responsible for international crimes accountable.
Guterres highlighted Pillay's work in South Africa and her subsequent judicial career, including her service as president of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, a court established to prosecute those responsible for serious international crimes committed during the 1994 genocide.
He also pointed to her tenure as U.N. high commissioner for human rights and her leadership of the U.N. Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, which investigates alleged violations of international law.
According to Guterres, these roles reflected Pillay's longstanding efforts to uphold legal principles and defend human dignity.
Turning to the wider significance of the award, Guterres said the Nobel Committee had underscored the importance of building peace on enduring legal and humanitarian principles rather than political power.
"In its citation, the Nobel Committee reminded the world that peace must be built on lasting principles, not the will of the powerful," he said.
"Today's prize is a tribute to all those working to uphold and defend international law, the rule of law and human rights, and secure peace, justice and human dignity," Guterres added.
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