 We all arrive at borders with our own stories. Zaynab arrives without any documentation because she was never able to get a birth certificate. But she can't explain this to the border guard as she doesn't speak his language and there is no interpreter. Haim is a border official in an understaffed and remote land border checkpoint. He works long hours under stressful conditions and needs to respond to many challenges throughout the day. Alan is 40 years old. He watched his teenage son drown when their boat capsized and is consumed with grief. But is finding it hard to express his trauma. Javierra is one of only two female border officials at a busy seaport. Here she has experienced constant harassment and is increasingly suspicious of men who she meets in the course of her work. Araf is 15, but looks much older. When he arrives at the border, he doesn't know where his parents are. And he is too afraid to speak to anyone. Sam is a border official at an airport. He has been working in the same job for two years without a break. He becomes angry and frustrated when migrants seem uncooperative. Everyone comes to borders with their own stories. Borders can seem like hostile and remote places where no one has rights. But as we listen to each other, as we hear the stories that we bring to the border, we understand that everyone at borders, migrants, border officials and others all have human rights. Borders should be places of welcoming and for this to happen, they should be places where everyone is treated with respect, dignity and an appreciation of our common humanity. Human rights principles can guide the work of border officials in a way that leads to better outcomes for everyone involved. The UN Human Rights Office's recommended principles and guidelines on human rights at international borders are intended to translate the international human rights framework into practical border governance measures. They are based on the understanding that respecting the human rights of all people facilitates effective and sustainable border governance.