Navigating Crisis, Complexity, and Courage in Myanmar - with Gwyn Lewis

“When you arrive in Myanmar, what strikes you most is how beautiful the place is, the country and the people. And you soon realize how separated communities are.” — Gwyn Lewis

What does it really take to uphold dignity, safety, and human rights when every decision in a crisis could mean the difference between access and compromise?

In this episode of the Protection Leadership Podcast, Panos Moumtzis speaks with Gwyn Lewis about leading humanitarian efforts in one of the world’s most complex crises. Drawing on her experience in Myanmar and earlier work in Palestine and Bangladesh, Gwyn emphasizes that protection is not just about delivering aid, but about safeguarding dignity, rights, and access. 

Gwyn reflects on the realities of Myanmar, where widespread conflict, displacement, and fragmented control create immense operational and ethical challenges. The conversation explores how humanitarian leaders balance access with principles, navigate political sensitivities, and make difficult decisions amid severe funding cuts. 

The conversation highlights the importance of collective leadership, localization, and trust-building with all stakeholders, including affected communities and conflict actors. Gwyn also underscores the emotional toll on teams and the need for empathy and shared responsibility. 

Ultimately, this episode reinforces that protection must remain the guiding framework for prioritization, even in resource-constrained environments, and that hope is sustained through the resilience and agency of affected communities.

Key takeaways

Protection as the Core of Humanitarian Action

Protection is about ensuring rights, dignity, and safety, not just delivering aid. Centering protection leads to more sustainable and meaningful outcomes.

Negotiating Access in Complex Conflict Settings

Humanitarian leaders must engage with all parties to a conflict, balancing neutrality with advocacy to reach vulnerable populations.

Collective Leadership and Localization Matter

Effective responses depend on collaboration across UN agencies, NGOs, and especially local actors who bring critical contextual knowledge and leadership.

Difficult Trade-offs in Resource-Constrained Environments

Funding cuts force painful prioritization decisions, often requiring leaders to choose between essential services while managing increased protection risks.

Hope Driven by Community Resilience

Despite prolonged crises, the resilience and initiative of affected communities remain a key source of motivation and hope for humanitarian leaders.

Timestamps

(03:19) Protection in Palestine

(05:05) First impressions of Myanmar

(06:39) Displacement complexities

(10:44) Intervention examples

(14:43) Access vs principles

(20:24) Localization of national NGOs

(23:29) Rohingya response in Bangladesh

(26:50) Maintaining neutrality

(31:06) Strategies in sensitive environments

(33:28) How do you keep protection a priority?

(35:27) Advice from Gwyn Lewis

Guest bio: Gwyn Lewis

Gwyn Lewis is the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Myanmar, responsible for coordinating UN activities in the country. Gwyn recognizes that the three global pillars of the UN, development, peace and security, and human rights, are interlinked and mutually reinforcing. 

Gwyn brings over 25 years of experience in international development, peacebuilding, and humanitarian affairs. Earlier in her career, Ms. Lewis worked with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), where she managed the Global Clusters Coordination section within the organization’s Emergency Division.

Discover More about Gwyn