DaysOfPal — Nineteen independent United Nations human rights experts have condemned the leadership of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) over its decision not to renew the contract of a senior official who worked to expose starvation in Gaza, warning that punishing staff for defending human rights threatens the independence and credibility of the UN system.

The criticism follows the departure of Benjamin Davis, a veteran UN official whose 26 years of service ended on September 30 after FAO declined to extend his contract.

Davis had been involved in efforts to document hunger and defend the right to food in Gaza, where Israel's starvation policies have devastated Palestinian communities throughout the genocide.

In a joint statement issued Tuesday, the experts challenged FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu over his treatment of Davis and his remarks about staff engagement in human rights work.

They warned that the controversy sends a dangerous message to UN personnel: speaking out about starvation and violations of international law could put their careers at risk.

FAO Chief Criticized for Dismissing Human Rights Work

According to the experts, Qu defended the decision not to renew Davis's contract by questioning his compliance with international civil service rules.

Speaking at a high-level event at FAO headquarters in Rome on September 29, Qu also criticized what he called “playing the human rights game” and “playing political games.”

The 19 experts condemned the remarks, warning that such language from the head of a UN agency risks intimidating staff whose responsibilities include addressing hunger, discrimination, and violations of fundamental rights.

They stressed that human rights are not separate from FAO's mandate but lie “at the core” of its work.

The agency's mission to combat hunger and protect food security, they argued, requires its personnel to address starvation, including its use as a method of warfare.

The experts also rejected the suggestion that documenting violations of international law necessarily conflicts with the neutrality expected of UN employees.

They emphasized that international civil servants are bound by the principles of the UN Charter, including respect for human rights.

Gaza Starvation Work Comes Under Scrutiny

Davis previously headed FAO's Division for Inclusive Rural Transformation and Gender Equality.

His work included activities addressing the hunger crisis in Gaza, where Israeli restrictions on food, humanitarian supplies, and essential services have contributed to catastrophic conditions for Palestinian civilians.

In September 2025, Davis and his team helped organize a seminar examining hunger in Gaza and prepared a paper addressing the right to food.

According to Davis, the paper was subsequently removed from FAO's website.

He also said staff participated in weekly silent vigils expressing solidarity with victims of hunger, with management's approval.

Despite these activities falling within FAO's work on food security and human rights, senior management accused Davis of breaching neutrality in his professional engagement with Gaza's humanitarian crisis, according to the experts' statement.

The experts challenged that interpretation, emphasizing that documenting starvation and defending the right to food are fundamental responsibilities of a UN agency dedicated to ending hunger.

Experts Warn of Fear and Intimidation Inside UN Agencies

The experts warned that the treatment of Davis risks creating a workplace culture in which UN employees fear professional consequences for addressing grave violations of international law.

Such an atmosphere, they said, could discourage staff from documenting starvation, reporting abuses, or raising human rights concerns.

They stressed that neutrality does not require silence in the face of violations of international humanitarian and human rights law.

For an agency responsible for global food security, they argued, failing to confront starvation as a weapon of war would undermine its mandate.

The experts also warned that institutional silence can damage public confidence in the independence of UN organizations and raise concerns about political interference in their work.

The controversy comes as UN agencies continue to confront the devastating consequences of Israel's genocide in Gaza, including the destruction of food systems, restrictions on humanitarian access, and widespread hunger.

UN Experts Demand Accountability From FAO Leadership

The 19 experts called on FAO's leadership to uphold the UN Charter and international civil service standards while protecting staff from intimidation and retaliation connected to human rights work.

They urged member states to raise Davis's case within FAO's governing bodies and demand assurances that the agency's employees can fulfill their responsibilities without political interference.

The experts also disclosed that they had written directly to Qu Dongyu to express concern about the case and its potential impact on FAO's internal working environment.

With the election of FAO's next director-general scheduled for 2027, they called on member states to place respect for fundamental human rights, particularly the rights to life and food, at the center of their deliberations.

Among the experts identified in the statement were UN human rights specialists working on the right to food, the occupied Palestinian territory, human rights defenders, development, and freedom of expression.

The dispute has brought renewed scrutiny to the responsibility of international institutions to defend their own personnel when they address violations affecting Palestinians.

For the 19 experts, protecting staff who document hunger and starvation is essential to preserving the independence of the UN system and ensuring that its commitment to human rights is upheld in practice.

Source : Safa News