3 The rights of migrants to leave their country and when at sea

Migrants have a right to leave their countries and to travel by sea. If migrant boats are in distress at sea (as we know hundreds of vessels are each year across the world), states have a duty to rescue them under international law. This section will look at the right to leave a country, the right to seek and enjoy asylum, including the principle of non-refoulement, the duty to rescue migrant boats in distress, as well as the human rights that migrants have.