Over the years Jean Ziegler has held several mandates as human rights expert of the United Nations. This page highlights his mandates as the first UN Special Rapporteur on the right to food during the period 2000-2008 and as member of the UN Human Rights Council Advisory Committee between 2008-2012. In focus are Jean Ziegler’s work on Noma – the devastating disease, on the rights of peasants and other people working in rural areas and in defining the right to food.

UN Special Rapporteur on the right to food

In September 2000 Jean Ziegler was appointed by the UN Commission on Human Rights as the first UN Special Rapporteur on the right to food.  The Commission on Human Rights was replaced by the Human Rights Council in March 2006 and Jean Ziegler’s mandate as Special Rapporteur was endorsed and extended by the Council’s resolution 6/2 of 27 September 2007. He fulfilled this mandate until 30 April 2008 and was followed since May 2008 by Olivier de Schutter. Read more …

Member of the UN HRC Advisory Committee

In March 2008, Jean Ziegler was elected Member of the UN Human Rights Council Advisory Committee. One year later, the Human Rights Council decided, by acclamation, to re-elect Jean Ziegler as a member of the Committee, a post he has held until September 2012. He was elected the forum’s Vice-President for two terms. Read more…

Noma – the devastating disease

During a mission in Niger in 2005 carried out by Jean Ziegler as Special Rapporteur on the right to food he witnessed the plight of children affected by Noma. Ever since, and in particular during his mandate as member of the UN Human Rights Council Advisory Committee, Jean Ziegler has worked to bring Noma to the attention of the public opinion. Read more…

The Rights of Peasants

In his capacity as UN Special Rapporteur on the right to food, Jean Ziegler produced many reports in which he explained the vulnerability of peasant farmers to hunger and malnutrition and the need to increase their protection in international law, including in his report on access to land, land reform and the right to food presented in 2002. Jean Ziegler also identified other vulnerable groups living in rural areas, including in hisreport on the right to food and fishing livelihoods presented in 2004. Read more…