← Previous revisionRevision as of 20:32, 12 October 2026 Line 46: Line 46: }} }} '''Navanetham''' "'''Navi'''" '''Pillay''' ({{langx|ta|நவநீதம் பிள்ளை}} ; {{née|'''Naidoo'''}}; born 23 September 1941) is a South African [[jurist]] who served as the [[United Nations]] [[High Commissioner for Human Rights]] from 2008 to 2014. A [[Tamil South Africans|South African of Tamil origin]], Pillay was the first non-white female judge of the [[High Court of South Africa]]. She has also served as a [[Judges of the International Criminal Court|judge of the International Criminal Court]] and president of the [[International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda]]. She was awarded the [[Nobel Peace Prize]] [[2026 Nobel Peace Prize|in 2026]] for her efforts to promote peace and international law. Responses to her award claim that she received it as a prize for hating Israel.{{Cite news |last=Board |first=The Editorial |date=2026-10-09 |title=Opinion {{!}} A Nobel Prize for Hating Israel |url=https://www.wsj.com/opinion/navi-pillay-nobel-peace-prize-israel-hamas-south-africa-523efb07 |access-date=2026-10-12 |work=Wall Street Journal |language=en-US |issn=0099-9660}} '''Navanetham''' "'''Navi'''" '''Pillay''' ({{langx|ta|நவநீதம் பிள்ளை}} ; {{née|'''Naidoo'''}}; born 23 September 1941) is a South African [[jurist]] who served as the [[United Nations]] [[High Commissioner for Human Rights]] from 2008 to 2014. A [[Tamil South Africans|South African of Tamil origin]], Pillay was the first non-white female judge of the [[High Court of South Africa]]. She has also served as a [[Judges of the International Criminal Court|judge of the International Criminal Court]] and president of the [[International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda]]. She was awarded the [[Nobel Peace Prize]] [[2026 Nobel Peace Prize|in 2026]] for her efforts to promote peace and international law. Some conservative commentators have criticized her award because of her purported stance relative to Israel's government. {{Cite news |last=Board |first=The Editorial |date=2026-10-09 |title=Opinion {{!}} A Nobel Prize for Hating Israel |url=https://www.wsj.com/opinion/navi-pillay-nobel-peace-prize-israel-hamas-south-africa-523efb07 |access-date=2026-10-12 |work=Wall Street Journal |language=en-US |issn=0099-9660}} Pillay was born and raised in [[Durban]], where she later attended the [[University of Natal]], receiving her [[Bachelor of Arts]] in 1963 and her [[Bachelor of Laws]] in 1965. After university, Pillay pursued a career as an attorney, joining the legal defence against [[apartheid]]. In 1967, Pillay started her own law firm and became the first woman to do so in her home province of [[Natal (province)|Natal]]. In 1981, Pillay attended [[Harvard University]] and earned her [[Master of Laws|Master of Law]]. In 1988, she completed her thesis and graduated from [[Harvard Law School]] with a Doctorate of Juridical Science. Pillay was born and raised in [[Durban]], where she later attended the [[University of Natal]], receiving her [[Bachelor of Arts]] in 1963 and her [[Bachelor of Laws]] in 1965. After university, Pillay pursued a career as an attorney, joining the legal defence against [[apartheid]]. In 1967, Pillay started her own law firm and became the first woman to do so in her home province of [[Natal (province)|Natal]]. In 1981, Pillay attended [[Harvard University]] and earned her [[Master of Laws|Master of Law]]. In 1988, she completed her thesis and graduated from [[Harvard Law School]] with a Doctorate of Juridical Science.