OHCHR’s Recommended Principles and Guidelines on Human Rights at International Borders contains three recommended principles, all of which are derived from international human rights law and establish the obligation of States to protect, respect and fulfil human rights of all migrants at international borders;
A. The primacy of human rights: Human rights should be at the centre of all border governance measures.
B. Non-discrimination: Migrants should be protected against any form of discrimination at borders.
C. Assistance and protection from harm: States should consider the individual circumstances of all
migrants at borders, and ensure effective protection and access to justice.
The Principles assert in particular that the best interests of the child shall be a primary consideration applicable to all children at international borders, regardless of their migration
status or that of their parents. The ten recommended guidelines aim to assist States in practical ways to address such issues as building human rights capacity at borders, ensuring human rights in rescue and interception, screening, avoiding detention, and enabling human rights-based return or removal. Each Guideline addresses the important issue of accountability, recommending that independent monitoring mechanisms are set up at borders and that all migrants be able to access effective remedies. The guidelines provide a wealth of detail on the many, often complex,
human rights issues implicated at international borders.