Minister for Women's Empowerment and Child Protection Urges Parents to Strengthen Bonds with Children During Homecoming Travel
Jakarta — Indonesia’s Minister for Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection (PPPA) Arifah Fauzi has urged parents to utilise the annual homecoming travel (mudik) as an opportunity to strengthen their relationships with their children.
“This is part of our series of visits to monitor the 2026 mudik exodus. We are currently at Kampung Rambutan Terminal to observe the situation on the ground,” Arifah said after inspecting the readiness of Kampung Rambutan Terminal in East Jakarta on Monday.
She stated that the mudik journey represents an ideal time for family members to spend quality time together.
According to Arifah, parents can leverage the mudik period as an opportunity to deepen their bonds with their children.
Arifah highlighted the critical role of parents in ensuring that children remain comfortable throughout the mudik journey, which typically involves lengthy travel periods.
According to her, safe mudik travel for children begins with physical preparedness and adequate supplies.
Parents are urged to ensure their children are in good health and to bring necessary items for the journey.
“Our appeal to parents bringing their children for mudik: first, ensure your child is in good physical condition. Then prepare supplies as thoroughly as possible, including everything your child needs during the journey and medicines,” she said.
Additionally, Arifah reminded parents of the importance of planning a clear travel schedule to prevent children from becoming exhausted or uncomfortable during the journey home.
She encouraged parents to engage more actively with their children during travel, rather than being preoccupied with mobile phones.
“While on the road, do not only use mobile phones for communication, but embrace your children and encourage them to strengthen family bonds,” she said.
With more intensive interaction during the journey, Arifah hopes that children will feel more comfortable and happy despite having to undertake long journeys.
The visit was part of a series of monitoring activities conducted by the PPPA ministry at various transport hubs to ensure that mudik travel is safe and comfortable, particularly for women and children.
“So that this year’s Lebaran mudik can proceed smoothly and pleasantly for all people,” she said.
During the visit, Arifah also conducted a direct inspection of Kampung Rambutan Terminal and conducted outreach regarding a policy restricting social media use for children under 16 years old, as regulated by the Ministry of Communication and Digital Regulation (Permen Kondisi) Number 9 of 2026.
The regulation aims to protect children from various potential digital risks, including exposure to age-inappropriate content, cyberbullying, and personal data misuse.
According to Arifah, public response to the policy has been quite positive. Based on dialogues she conducted with various travellers at the terminal, the majority of parents support restricting social media use for children.