Champion of the Year 2025

The Champions Committee have decided that the Champion of the Year for 2025 will go to a woman who has changed the landscape of war. Her leadership has shown resilience and determination for justice.

The Champions Committee has decided to award the Champion of the Year for 2025 to Navanethem Pillay. She has been awarded for her exemplary courage and outspoken stance in upholding international law and human rights.

Judge Pillay has been the chair of the United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory during which she has pioneered for peace and justice to be received by the Palestinian people, and the victims of the Gaza war.

It’s because of her actions and investigation that a ceasefire was ultimately achieved in Gaza. As Chair she highlighted the need for immediate intervention in the ongoing genocide against the Gazan people. The world reacted to her, and her inquiry when they called the Gaza war genocide.

From Judge Pillay’s inquiry findings, the deaths of innocent people have been prevented. With action from the international community we have seen a relative peace form across that densely populated mediterranean city.

The committee is proud to recognise Judge Pillay as a true champion for peace and for people. She shows that diplomacy outweighs war and conflict. The unnecessary impact of conflict is not comparable to any form of diplomacy and peaceful resolution. Too often we see unjust attacks on innocent people and Judge Pillay’s work to prevent it is an inspiration to every world leader and every human being. That no matter the issue of conflict peace will see the light amongst the dust and rubble, and rise above it.

In 1999 Judge Pillay was appointed to the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, during her tenure as a judge to the tribunal she was elected President Judge. Her role was pivotal in international justice through the case of Jean-Paul Akayesu, the case found that sexual assault and rape could constitute acts of genocide. Judge Pillay continued her judicial work at an international level until 2008. She worked with the International Criminal Court on issues of Women’s Rights and finally implemented them in the ICC Statute at the Rome Diplomatic Conference.

From 2008, she has worked with the United Nations. Firstly as the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. In her role she was the "the voice of the victim everywhere." Judge Pillay has been outspoken on equal rights of sexual and gender identity and freedoms of expression. Judge Pillay has since moved on, serving on the bench of International Court of Justice and serving judge ad hoc on the Rohingya genocide case.

Lastly, Judge Pillay has chaired the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory from 2021 until September of this year. Her work has been controversial but vital. Judge Pillay was criticised by countless institutes and people for her outspoken views on the Israel-Gaza war. Ultimately she has encouraged peace and peace-building between enemies and has brought some normality to those displaced and deeply affected by the conflict.

We have a duty to peace and to concord as a people, and Judge Pillay embodies all of it.

ENDS