Haxie Meyers-Belkin is pleased to welcome Rosa Freedman, Professor of Law Conflict and Global Development at the University of Reading. Navi Pillay’s career represents a remarkable contribution to international law and human rights, from her pioneering role in post-apartheid South Africa to her work at the United Nations. Yet her legacy also raises difficult questions about political impartiality, particularly in relation to Israel and Gaza. She believes we need to distinguish between the significance of her lifelong achievements and the controversy surrounding the decision to award her the Nobel Peace Prize at this particular moment. More broadly, this debate invites us to examine whether the prize is recognising individual merit or increasingly serving as a vehicle for political messaging. At a time when international law and multilateral institutions face mounting pressure, and serious threats, Freedman asserts that the challenge is to scrutinise their shortcomings without undermining the principles they exist to uphold.
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