Nobel Peace Prize 2026
Nobel Peace Prize 2026
UNHCR receives the 1954 Nobel Peace Prize, with the ceremony taking place in 1955. UNHCR is the first United Nations agency to receive the award.
When UNHCR received its first Nobel Peace Prize in 1954, the agency was still a relatively young organization, established in the aftermath of the Second World War to help millions of people displaced across Europe. The prize recognized UNHCR’s efforts to find lasting solutions for refugees and to uphold their rights and dignity.
Nearly three decades later, in 1981, UNHCR received the Nobel Peace Prize for the second time. By then, the organization’s work had expanded far beyond Europe, responding to displacement crises around the world. The award highlighted UNHCR’s continued efforts to protect people forced to flee and to promote international cooperation and responsibility-sharing.
In recognition of efforts to protect millions of refugees displaced around the world, UNHCR receives the 1981 Nobel Peace Prize. It is only the second time an organization has received the prize twice, and UNHCR is the only UN agency to do so
Today, the chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee stated the Nobel Peace Prize will be awarded to “a person who, with exceptional courage and integrity, has led the way towards a more comprehensive global legal order”. This year, Navanethem “Navi” Pillay, a South African lawyer, former High Commissioner for United Nations Human Rights office (OHCHR) and human rights advocate was recognized for becoming the first woman to establish a law practice in her home province of Natal.
The Nobel Prizes celebrate achievements that change how we see the world. For UNHCR, the Nobel Peace Prize is also a reminder of the work that remains protecting people forced to flee, upholding their rights and striving for a world where everyone can live in safety and dignity. Nearly 118 million people are forcibly displaced worldwide. Behind every number is a disrupted life, a home left behind and an uncertain future. Their protection is a shared responsibility, and one that requires continued commitment to human rights, solidarity and international cooperation.
Navi Pillay, Former High Commissioner for Human Rights
Pillay has dedicated her career to advancing these principles. She played a key role in securing constitutional protections against discrimination based on race, gender, religion and sexual orientation. As co-founder of Equality Now, an international women’s rights organization, she has also championed equality and worked to protect the rights of children, detainees and survivors of torture and domestic violence, alongside broader economic, social and cultural rights.
Congratulations to Ms. Pillay on this recognition of her lifelong dedication to human rights, equality and justice!