UN Experts Warn FAO Against Sidelining Human Rights Over Gaza Hunger Crisis

The experts called on FAO leadership to uphold the values of the UN Charter and ensure that recognised Standards of Conduct for international civil servants are applied across the organisation.

United Nations experts have raised serious concerns over the Food and Agriculture Organization's approach to human rights and the treatment of staff involved in work related to hunger, starvation and alleged violations of international law in Gaza, saying human rights principles are central to the agency's responsibility to protect people from hunger.

Their intervention follows remarks made by FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu during a high-level event at the agency's headquarters in Rome on 29 September 2026, which the experts said appeared to minimise the place of human rights in FAO's technical work. They also pointed to information concerning a senior FAO official whose contract was reportedly not renewed after 26 years of UN service, with the experts saying the decision was linked to allegations that the official had breached impartiality standards through technical work on starvation and famine in Gaza.

Human rights belong at the heart of FAO's food security mandate

The experts rejected the idea that addressing human rights issues falls outside FAO's technical responsibilities, arguing that the agency and its international civil servants operate under the UN Charter, whose principles include respect for human rights and human dignity.

FAO has an explicit mandate connected to humanity's freedom from hunger, they said, meaning its staff should be able to examine conflict-driven food insecurity, starvation and famine when those issues directly affect food security. This can include documenting the use of starvation as a method of warfare and examining the consequences under international humanitarian and human rights law.

The experts referred to the International Court of Justice's Advisory Opinion of 22 October 2025, saying it affirmed obligations concerning essential supplies for civilians, including food, and the facilitation of relief delivered by the United Nations and its entities. In their view, documenting starvation in Gaza should therefore be understood as part of legitimate technical work rather than a departure from impartiality.

Staff must be able to address violations without fear, experts say

A major concern raised in the statement is the possibility that decisions involving staff could create what the experts described as a climate of fear inside FAO, discouraging personnel from addressing serious breaches of international law because they worry about professional consequences.

They stressed that the impartiality required of international civil servants does not mean remaining silent when fundamental UN Charter principles or international law may be at stake. Insufficient action in such situations, they argued, could raise questions about an organisation's independence and contribute to perceptions that its leadership is giving excessive consideration to the positions of donor governments.

The experts said all UN personnel must be able to carry out their professional responsibilities without intimidation or retaliation, warning that measures perceived as reprisals could damage confidence in FAO and affect the credibility of the wider United Nations system.

FAO's own public statements continue to describe food security, nutrition and human dignity as closely connected. At a UN General Assembly event on child survival and nutrition on 24 September, Qu said every child has an equal right to survive and described food security and healthy diets as inseparable from FAO's mandate.

Member States urged to demand accountability ahead of 2027 leadership vote

The experts called on FAO leadership to uphold the values of the UN Charter and ensure that recognised Standards of Conduct for international civil servants are applied across the organisation. They also urged FAO Member States to raise the issue through the agency's governing bodies and hold senior leadership accountable to internationally recognised human rights principles.

Their appeal extends beyond FAO, with the experts calling on all UN bodies to reaffirm that protecting human rights, including the rights to life and food, and respecting human dignity are part of their institutional responsibilities rather than issues separate from their technical mandates.

They said an explicit commitment to these principles should also play a central role in the process leading to the election of the next FAO Director-General in 2027, arguing that the organisation's future leadership should recognise human rights as an essential part of its work to address hunger and food insecurity around the world.