UN experts on Wednesday called on select states to respect the human rights of migrants traveling in caravans from Central America towards Mexico and the US.

In letters to the governments of Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and the US, the experts voiced their concerns and urged the States to abide by international law.

Since mid-October roughly 12,000 to 14,000 migrants have passed through the Guatemalan and Mexican borders in hopes of reaching the US. The majority of migrants originate from Guatemala, Nicaragua and El Salvador, and a “significant number of migrants are families, including many single mothers with children under the age of five.”

The experts encourage states to “take all necessary measures to ensure the human rights of migrants,” and warn states that more migration will occur unless human rights violations in Central America are considerably improved.

Rather than fueling tensions with hate speech and threats, governments should work together to tackle inequality, poverty, social exclusion, violence, insecurity, environmental degradation and persecution as the main drivers of migration in Central America.

The experts maintain that cooperation between states is “urgently required” to develop accessible, safe, and affordable migration channels.