Judge Navi Pillay on the fight for human rights, justice and accountability

Born in apartheid South Africa, she became the country's first female high court judge. She sat on the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, and helped to establish sexual violence and rape as war crimes in international law. At a time of global conflict and instability, the work and achievements of Navi Pillay are a reminder of what can be achieved when accountability trumps impunity, when the law defeats lawlessness, and justice prevails over injustice.

The 2025 Sydney Peace Prize Lecture, hosted by the Sydney Peace Foundation, was recorded at the Sydney Town Hall on 6 November 2025.

Speakers

Navi PillayFormer Chair of the United Nation's Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian TerritoryFormer United Nations High Commissioner for Human RightsFormer President and Judge of the International Criminal Tribunal for RwandaSouth Africa's first female High Court Judge

Chris SidotiMember of the United Nation's Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian TerritoryFormer Australian Human Rights CommissionerFormer Chair of the Australian Law Reform Commission

Rawan ArrafFounder and Executive Director of the Australian Centre for International Justice

Nour Haydar (host)Journalist and co-host, Full Story, Guardian Australia