01 / 10
Pillay wins Nobel Peace Prize
South African jurist Navi Pillay received the Nobel Peace Prize for advancing peace and international law.
What happened
The Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded the Nobel Peace Prize to Navanethem “Navi” Pillay, a South African jurist and former UN human rights chief. The committee cited her work promoting peace and international law, including efforts to bring war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide before courts.
Numbers
- 85 yearsPillay’s age at the award
- 287 nomineesCandidates considered for this year’s prize — Individuals and organisations
- 2008–2014Her UN human rights tenure
Questions
- What work led to the prize?
- Pillay defended anti-apartheid activists, served on international courts and led UN human rights work over several decades.
- Why did the committee stress law?
- It stated that international legal institutions face pressure as power politics displaces legal frameworks for resolving conflicts peacefully.
- What legal precedent did she help shape?
- Her work in Rwanda helped establish that rape and sexual violence can constitute acts of genocide.
- What is her current international role?
- She serves as a judge at the International Court of Justice, according to coverage of the award.
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4
The catch
Coverage does not provide the committee’s full reasoning for choosing Pillay over the other nominees.
Nominee records remain confidential.