16 jurisdictional mechanism of protection of human rights, without which such mechanism will be irremediably mitigated. (...)The jus standi of individuals before the Court is a measure to the benefit not only of the petitioners but also of themselves (those which become respondent States), as well as of the mechanism of protection as a whole. And this by virtue of the jurisdictionalization, an additional guarantee of the prevalence of the rule of law in the whole contentieux of human rights under the American Convention. If we really wish to act at the height of the challenges of our times, it is to the consolidation of such jus standi that we ought to promptly devote ourselves, with the same clear vision and lucid boldness with which the draftsmen of the American Convention originally conceived the right of individual petition. With the conventional basis which was conveyed to us by Article 44 of the American Convention, we do not need to wait half a century to give concrete expression to the jus standi above referred to. With the consolidation of this latter, it is the international protection that, ultimately, in the ambit of our regional system of protection, will have thereby attained its maturity" (paras. 42-46). 43. In 2001, I drafted and submitted, in my capacity as President and Rapporteur of the Court, to the Organization of American States (OAS), as the next stride to be taken isn such direction (and as I have been insisting for some time), a proposal to grant jus standi to individuals, so that they be able to file their claims directly before the Court, under the form of a basis for a Draft Protocol to the American Convention on Human Rights to strengthen its mechanism for protection57. I consider it is essential for the advances in the rules be consolidated into such a Protocol, to avoid future involutions and to secure a real commitment by the States Parties, on the basis of a treaty, with the cause of internationally protected human rights58. 44. As I purported in my speech of June 10, 2003 to the OAS General Asambly in Santiago de Chile59, the Inter-American Court, in its procedural and case law evolution, has made a relevant contribution to "consolidating the new paradigm of International Law, the new jus gentium of 21st century, holding the human being to have international rights independently"60. The Draft Protocol I drew up and submitted to the OAS has invariably been on the agenda of the OAS General Assembly (as appearing from the Sessions held in San José de Costa Rica in 2001, in Bridgetown/Barbados in 2002, in Santiago de Chile in 2003, and in Quito in 2004), and is still present in the OAS pertinent 2005-2006 documents61. I hope for it to bear real fruit in the near future. 57 . A.A. Cançado Trindade, “Basis for a Draft Protocol to the American Convention on Human Rights to Strengthen its Mechanism for Protection” - Volume II, San José de Costa Rica, Inter-American Court of Human Rights, 2001, pages 1-669 (2nd ed., 2003). 58 . Cf. A.A. Cançado Trindade, El Acceso Directo del Individuo a los Tribunales Internacionales de Derechos Humanos, Bilbao, Universidad de Deusto, 2001, pages 9-104; A.A. Cançado Trindade, El Derecho Internacional de los Derechos Humanos in el Siglo XXI, Santiago, Editorial Jurídica de Chile, 2001, pages 15-455 (2a. ed., 2006). And cf. A.A. Cançado Trindade, "El Nuevo Reglamento de la Corte Interamericana de Derechos Humanos (2000) and Su Proyección Hacia el Futuro: La Emancipación del Ser Humano como Sujeto del Derecho Internacional", in XXVIII Curso de Derecho Internacional Organizado por el Comité Jurídico Interamericano - OAS (2001) pages 33-92. 59 . Shortly after an historical session away from headquarters of the Inter-American Court had teken place in that city. 60 . Cf. Speech [by the President of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, Judge Antônio A. Cançado Trindade], to the XXXIII General Assembly of the Organization Of American States (OAS) (Santiago de Chile, June, 2003) - Actas and Documentos, vol. II, Washington D.C., Secretaría General de la OAS, pages 168-171. 61 . OAS, document AG/RES.2129 (XXXV-0/050), del 07.06.2005, pages 1-3; OAS, document CP/CAJP-2311/05/Rev.2, del 27.02.2006, pages 1-3.