Navanethem ‘Navi’ Pillay, a South African jurist of Indian Tamil origin who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for 2026, has called for collective action and personal reflection to eliminate caste discrimination. She advocated for equal treatment, supporting victims, and speaking up for human rights. In an exclusive telephonic interaction with
Subashini Vijayakumar of TNIE, the ad hoc judge on the International Court of Justice speaks about her Tamil roots, the persistence of caste bias and the quest for justice for Sri Lankan Tamils. Excerpts:
Your family has Tamil roots, though you were born and raised in South Africa. How has your Tamil identity shaped your life?
Let me begin with an apology. My parents were born in South Africa and did not speak Tamil. My paternal grandfather was from Vathalagundu, near Madurai. But these are still my roots, and I do feel a connection to them.
More than 16 years after Sri Lanka’s civil war, many Tamil families are still waiting for justice. Do you think they will ever get justice, and what should the international community do?
More than anything, they want to know what happened to their loved ones in the war. When I was the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, I visited Jaffna. The world wants to support them. The solution is to ensure a supportive environment for their demands, whether they seek a separate state or justice for the crimes that were committed.
We also need to be patient. I never thought apartheid, which discriminated against people based on their colour, would end in South Africa. But we received support from the whole world, and it ended. I also believe in collective action. They must keep the issue alive to find solutions.
With wars, conflicts and human rights violations continuing across the world, what concerns you the most?
Armed conflicts and gang warfare are concerning. We are seeing this even in my home city of Cape Town, where gangs rob innocent people. Violence against women, both in their homes and in wars, is also a major concern. Activists are exposing these violations to seek justice, and that work must continue.
You have spent your life fighting for human rights and justice. What message would you give young people, particularly in India and Tamil Nadu, and how can they carry your work forward?
People often ask me when I am going to retire, since I am quite old. I tell them that I will retire when human rights violations end. We should give everyone the support they need, even if it is only moral support.
I would ask young people to appreciate how things have improved. It is also important for them to speak up and assert their rights. Indian men and women are fine examples. I have great respect for them and high hopes for their future.
Caste discrimination continues to be a concern in Tamil Nadu. What needs to change to ensure equality and justice for all?
There are still many challenges, but India has a good Constitution. More needs to be done to eradicate harmful traditions. Discrimination has persisted for decades. India also has laws against caste discrimination. We are all realistic enough to recognise that the caste system is still practised by some people. There are intelligent people in India, and I believe they will find more ways to address this problem.
The government has taken steps to eradicate caste discrimination through affirmative action in education. People who continue to uphold this tradition should reflect on their actions. When people emigrated as indentured labourers, they brought caste discrimination with them.
Over the years, people came to recognise how foolish this system was, and their attitudes changed. We must become better people. Treating everyone equally is part of our culture, and we must bring that quality out.
How much Tamil can you speak, and do you have any plans to visit Tamil Nadu soon?
When I was a young lawyer, I knew how to speak some Tamil. Unfortunately, you forget a language when you do not use it often. I can pronounce my name. I know greetings such as Vanakkam and Namaskaram. I still have some work to do, as I am an ad hoc judge in a case before the International Court of Justice. After that, I would definitely visit my hometown.