Gresik Regent Brings Child Protection Model for Migrant Workers' Children to National Stage
Gresik Regent Fandi Akhmad Yani has received an award as an Inspirative Regional Head in the Caring Movement for the Children of Indonesian Migrant Workers (PMI) from the Minister for the Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers (P2MI). The award was given in recognition of his efforts to build a protection model for the children of migrant workers from Gresik.
The award was presented at a National Public Discussion titled “Children of Indonesian Migrant Workers: Challenges, Protection and the Future” at the P2MI Ministry office in Jakarta.
On that occasion, Yani affirmed that protecting the children of migrant workers cannot stop at simply repatriating them to Indonesia. The government must also ensure these children have a legal identity, access to education, healthcare services and the opportunity to build a future.
“Saving one child is the same as saving an entire generation. Children must not become victims of distance and migration,” Yani said in a written statement on Monday (27 July 2026).
According to data held by the Gresik Regency Government, there are 8,348 migrant workers from Gresik spread across 10 districts. Meanwhile, 1,520 PMI were recorded or integrated with the Manpower Office during the 2022-2025 period, with Malaysia the main destination country — 70.9 per cent of registered migrant workers from Gresik chose the country as their place of work.
According to Yani, geographical and cultural proximity, as well as family and community networks, make Malaysia the main destination for migrant workers from Gresik. However, the data may not reflect the true situation, as there are still migrant workers who travel without official documents.
For this reason, attention to migration issues must not focus solely on worker numbers, employment sectors or remittances. Children born into and growing up in migrant worker families must also be part of the protection system.
One of the most fundamental vulnerabilities is the issue of legal identity. Some children of migrant workers are born into complex family situations, including unregistered marriages and relationships without clear legal status.
“When identity does not exist, other rights also become distant. The right to education, the right to healthcare, the right to security and other basic rights,” Yani added.
The event was attended by the Minister for the Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers, Mukhtarudin; the Deputy Minister for Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection (PPPA), Veronika Tan; the Chairperson of the Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI), Aris Adi Leksono; the Director General for the Empowerment of Indonesian Migrant Workers, Muh. Fachri; the President of IDN Global, Nathalia Widjaja; the Director for the Protection of Indonesian Citizens at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Heni Hamidah; the Indonesian Ambassador to Malaysia for the 2020-2025 period, Dato’ Indera Hermono; and the Chairman of the Indonesian Child Protection Institution (LPAI), Seto Mulyadi.
The forum was also attended by rectors and representatives of rectors from a number of universities, headteachers of Malaysian Learning Centres, heads of regency/city manpower offices, and heads of the Indonesian Migrant Worker Protection Service Centres (BP3MI) online via Zoom.