Protection Leadership

“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  

"Do not speak on my behalf. Let me be there and tell you how protection looks like..." -  Ana Maria Diez What would protection in humanitarian work truly look like if leaders prioritized the voices and lived experiences of displaced people? In today's conversation, Ana María Diez—lawyer, refugee, and president of Coalición por Venezuela—joins host Panos Moumtzis to discuss the meaning and challenges of protection for displaced people.  Drawing from her own harrowing experiences in Venezuela and her journey into advocacy, Ana María Diez reflects on what true protection, courage, and participation mean for refugees and humanitarian work today.  The dialogue delves into humanitarian failures, the fragility of protection, the need for innovation, and why genuine participation and inclusion of refugees in decision-making are non-negotiable. Key Takeaways Protection is Foundational All discussions around solutions for displaced people must begin with protection—it is the cornerstone of dignity and rights. Lived Experience Shapes Leadership Firsthand experience of displacement brings an irreplaceable perspective to advocacy and solution-building. Courage is present in every person with lived experience. Drawing on these personal reserves can lead to greater strength and more effective advocacy. Fragility of Systems Humanitarian systems and protections are much more vulnerable than they appear; a crisis or funding cut can instantly erase hard-won gains. Meaningful Participation Including refugees and displaced persons in decision-making is not optional; it is a right and vital to finding sustainable solutions. Addressing risks and building solutions demands collaboration, openness, innovation, and a recommitment to bringing human faces back to policymaking and grantmaking. Timestamps (00:00) Ana María Diez shares her personal experience as a protection officer and survivor of kidnapping in Venezuela. (03:13) Protection as the foundation for all humanitarian efforts, especially integration. (05:10) Fleeing Venezuela: Ana María’s personal journey to Spain for safety. (08:58) Ana María Diez on the so-called "humanitarian reset" as a failure of protection. (10:17) The right to participation for refugees and forcibly displaced persons. (12:53) Reflections on courage and advice for advocates facing protection challenges. (15:48) Ana María’s vision for a free Venezuela. (18:57) Shifting from exclusion to meaningful participation within the Quito Process. (22:10) The risks of humanitarian withdrawal and the ongoing needs of grassroots organizations. (27:01) Innovations in humanitarian work: localization, leveraging preexisting capacities, and inclusion. (29:49) Non-negotiables in protection: always center the voices and experiences of those affected. Guest Bio: Ana María Diez   Ana María Diez is a Venezuelan lawyer, refugee, and tireless advocate for the rights of displaced people. She is co-founder and president of Coalición por Venezuela, the largest network of Venezuelan civil society organizations, working across 23 countries to respond to migration and displacement crises. A former humanitarian protection officer, Ana María Diez, brings the lived experience of forced displacement to her leadership in legislative advocacy and global forums, including her participation in advisory bodies to UNHCR. Discover more about Ana María Diez   Coalición por Venezuela

“If the humanitarians are not speaking up, it’s easier for everyone else to ignore our protection problem.” — Jeremy Konyndyk Has the world stopped enforcing the rules meant to protect civilians in conflict? In this episode of Protection Leadership, Panos Moumtzis speaks with Jeremy Konyndyk, President of Refugees International, about the erosion of International Humanitarian Law (IHL), the collapse of political consensus around civilian protection, and the difficult balance between operational access and principled advocacy. Drawing on decades of frontline experience (from the Balkans to Yemen, from leading USAID’s disaster response operations to coordinating global COVID-19 and MPox responses), Jeremy reflects on the growing strain on humanitarian norms. He examines how geopolitical fragmentation, shrinking resources, and inconsistent enforcement of international law have weakened protections for civilians. Together, they explore a central tension in humanitarian leadership: When should humanitarians prioritize access, and when must they risk it to speak out? Key Takeaways The Erosion of International Humanitarian Law Jeremy discusses the alarming decline in global commitment to International Humanitarian Law and civilian protection norms. When enforcement becomes politicized or selective, the credibility of IHL is weakened, and civilians pay the price. Balancing Advocacy and Humanitarian Access Humanitarian organizations often face a difficult trade-off: speak out and risk access, or stay quiet to preserve operations. Jeremy argues that differentiation within the system is essential. Advocacy organizations may need to be louder, while operational agencies must carefully navigate risk without abandoning principle. Protection Is Not Optional, It’s Foundational Aid delivery alone cannot prevent famine, displacement, or violence. Protection considerations must be embedded in the design and execution of humanitarian programs, from refugee camp policies to the rights to work and to freedom of movement. Reviving Accountability and “Shame” Jeremy makes the case that international protection norms once carried political cost for violators. Rebuilding accountability requires restoring consequences, including reputational consequences, for violations of civilian protection. Timestamps (02:41) Protection concerns in humanitarian aid (08:34) Have humanitarians become too risk-averse? (12:04) Controlling the narrative around civilian protection (13:52) When to speak loudly — and when to calibrate (19:18) Balancing operational ability and moral courage (24:05) How humanitarians can drive real protection impact (27:40) Examples of effective protection interventions (31:33) Why we need to “bring back shame” in international law (35:38) Advice for the next generation of humanitarian leaders Guest Bio: Jeremy Konyndyk Jeremy Konyndyk is the President of Refugees International, a leading advocacy organization focused on refugee rights, humanitarian protection, and displacement policy. He previously served in senior roles in both the Obama and Biden administrations. From 2013–2017, he was Director of USAID’s Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA), where he led U.S. responses to major global crises, including the West Africa Ebola outbreak, the Nepal earthquake, conflict in Syria and South Sudan, and the 2016 Ethiopia drought. In the Biden administration, Jeremy served as USAID’s lead official for COVID-19, overseeing a multi-billion-dollar global response portfolio and coordinating international vaccine donations under the Global VAX initiative. He later led the U.S. government’s global MPox response. Between government appointments, he was a senior policy fellow at the Center for Global Development, where he led the “Rethinking Humanitarian Reform” initiative, examining how to shift power toward crisis-affected...

“Too many people being too scared means that the few who speak up are more exposed. We have to speak up.” — Jan Egeland What does real courage look like in humanitarian leadership? In this episode of Protection Leadership, Panos Moumtzis sits down with Jan Egeland, Secretary General of the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) and one of the most prominent voices in global humanitarian advocacy. With over three decades at the forefront of humanitarian crises, human rights advocacy, and peace negotiations, Jan reflects on the risks and responsibilities of speaking truth to power. Together, they explore why excessive caution in humanitarian diplomacy can come at a devastating cost, and why protection leadership demands clarity, solidarity, and moral courage. From confronting atrocities and challenging armed actors, to strengthening collective leadership within the UN and NGO system, this conversation examines how to turn the centrality of protection from rhetoric into real operational change for civilians under threat. Key Takeaways Courage in Humanitarian Advocacy Humanitarian leaders often default to caution, but silence can enable impunity. Jan argues that speaking up, even when politically risky, is essential to protect civilians and uphold humanitarian principles. Collective and Principled Leadership Protection cannot rely on isolated individuals. Effective leadership requires solidarity across agencies, humanitarian coordinators, NGOs, and local actors, ensuring that those who speak out are supported, not sidelined. From Policy to Field Impact The humanitarian system risks becoming over-bureaucratised. Jan calls for simplified coordination, stronger field presence, and action-driven leadership that prioritises operational protection over endless policy discussions. Timestamps (00:00) Leadership, courage, and advocacy in humanitarian crises (04:38) Risk-taking, judgment, and the cost of excessive caution (08:11) Humanitarian leadership and accountability (12:49) Civilians in conflict and global trends in violence (14:21) Ending impunity and protecting vulnerable communities (23:33) Leadership support and the role of local actors (24:23) Addressing challenges posed by armed groups (30:19) Streamlining humanitarian coordination for action (33:01) Sustaining passion and commitment in protection leadership Guest Bio: Jan Egeland Jan Egeland is the Secretary General of the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC). In 2006, Time Magazine named him one of the “100 People Who Shape Our World.” With more than 30 years of experience in international humanitarian work, human rights, and conflict resolution, Jan played a key role in the peace negotiations that led to the Oslo Accords between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization in 1993. He is also the author of A Billion Lives: An Eyewitness Report from the Frontlines of Humanity (2010), a powerful reflection on decades of frontline humanitarian engagement. Discover More about Jan   Jan Egeland on LinkedIn Jan Egeland on X

What does it really mean to lead on protection during today’s humanitarian crises? In the first episode of Protection Leadership, Panos Moumtzis is joined by Ruven Menikdiwela, Assistant High Commissioner for Refugees at UNHCR, for an in-depth conversation on the evolving realities of refugee protection and humanitarian leadership. Together, they explore the growing pressure on the international protection system, from governments questioning the relevance of the 1951 Refugee Convention, to the complex realities of mixed migration, shrinking humanitarian resources, and long-term displacement crises. “Everything we do has protection at its core.” – Ruven Menikdiwela Drawing on more than 30 years of frontline and leadership experience, Ruven shares practical insights on advocacy, coalition-building, and getting things done in complex operational environments, while keeping the most vulnerable at the centre of decision-making. Key Takeaways Advocacy Must Offer Solutions, Not Just Problems Effective protection advocacy requires empathy and realism. Ruven explains why engaging governments means understanding their constraints and pairing principled positions with practical, feasible solutions, rather than simply escalating concerns. Protection Is Central to All Humanitarian Action Protection goes far beyond legal frameworks. From how camps are designed and lit, to education access and registration systems, protection principles must shape every operational decision to make a real difference in people’s lives. Courage, Prioritisation, and Partnerships Matter More Than Ever With humanitarian funding under increasing strain, leaders must embrace hyper-prioritisation, clear messaging, and strong coalitions. Data-driven advocacy and coordinated diplomacy are essential to ensure those most at risk are not left behind. Timestamps (00:00) Introducing Ruven Menikdiwela and UNHCR’s protection mandate (05:36) Refugee obligations and today’s migration challenges (08:14) Simplifying humanitarian coordination systems (12:07) Protection beyond basic services (14:39) UN reform and coordination evolution (16:24) Focused humanitarian strategies in Ukraine (22:19) Evolving refugee policies and inclusion (25:58) Government approaches to refugee transfers (27:56) Advocacy through empathy and solutions (32:11) Sexual violence as a weapon of war (35:51) Principles of unified humanitarian diplomacy (39:46) Protecting refugees through strategic advocacy (42:15) Why protection is simply common sense (44:11) Advocating for detained asylum seekers Guest Bio: Ruven Menikdiwela Ruven Menikdiwela is the Assistant High Commissioner for Refugees at UNHCR. She brings over three decades of experience working with and for refugees, having held senior leadership roles, including UNHCR Representative in Pakistan and Thailand. An expert in international refugee law, Ruven has served in multiple critical legal and protection-focused positions since joining UNHCR in 1988. Her career has been defined by a commitment to principled yet pragmatic protection leadership across complex humanitarian contexts. Discover More about Ruven Find Ruven on LinkedIn