Dr Navi Pillay's career has been one continuous crusade for justice, beginning in her native South Africa and culminating at the highest international levels of justice and human rights protections. Her courage and total lack of fear in the face of opposition from powerful people are qualities which serve as a shining example of what the rule of law is about.

Navi Pillay is a legal pioneer who ensured the world recognised rape as a form of genocide. She has worked tirelessly to encourage lawyers, academics and students around the world, including in her inspirational address at the Durham University conference on Rethinking Rape Law, to strive for legal recognition of women’s rights and the pursuit of justice.