South Africa's Parliament is hosting African Parliamentarians from 18 countries for the 38th Conference of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Africa Region in Cape Town.

Close to 300 people including Parliamentarians and staff from all Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) - Africa Region member countries are expected to attend the conference which kicks off Monday and concludes on 28 July.

This year marks the 38th Anniversary of the CPA - Africa Region.

The CPA is composed of branches formed in Parliaments and Legislatures in Commonwealth countries which subscribe to Parliamentary democracy.

On Saturday and Sunday, ahead of the official opening, pre-conference are being held to give participants an opportunity to visit other provinces, before converging in Cape Town, Monday.

The group on Sunday visited the struggle memorials for the victims of the Trojan Horse attack and the Gugulethu Seven.

In the Trojan Horse attack three youths were killed when apartheid era police, hidden in crates on the back of a lorry, opened fire on a group of stone-throwers in Athlone and Guguletu on October 15, 1985.

Surviving family members of the victims were present.

In addition, the conference will include the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians Business Meeting, Annual General and West Africa Regional Meetings and a welcoming dinner, among others.

The objectives of the conference themed - Parliamentarians building strong democratic institutions for promoting development in the 21st century, are to promote the interests and perspectives of Africa into the Commonwealth and beyond, promote and maintain gender equality and the respect of human rights and freedoms and to pursue the ideals of democracy and good governance.

Discussions during the conference will be centred on the following five topics:

* The role of Parliament in the fight against poverty and underdevelopment

* Achievements and failures in the CPA Africa Region (Gender)

* The role of Parliamentarians towards economic empowerment of women and youth in improving reproductive health and combating high infant and maternal mortality rates (social)

* How can Parliamentarians contribute to the prevention of environmental degradation (environmental) and

* The role of CPA in passing anti-terrorism legislation (political)

The Association's mission is to promote the advancement of parliamentary democracy by enhancing knowledge and understanding of democratic governance.

It further seeks to build an informed parliamentary community and to further co-operation among its Parliaments and Legislatures.

This mission is achieved through a Strategic Plan which ensures CPA activities continue to meet the changing needs of today's Parliamentarians.

It covers the following six areas:

* Commonwealth fundamental principles

* The functional independence of Parliament;

* Professional development seminars and workshops;

* Networking through conferences;

* Technical assistance to individual Parliaments, and

* Specialist information for a specialist community

The CPA-Africa Region pursues its objectives by arranging Annual Commonwealth Parliamentary Conferences, Regional Conferences and other symposiums.

Other activities undertaken by the CPA-Africa Region to enhance the realisation of its aims and objectives include Inter-Parliamentary visits, Parliamentary seminars, meetings and workshops.

It is against this backdrop that active CPA Branches now exist in 169 national, state, provincial and territorial Parliaments, with a total membership of approximately 16 000 Parliamentarians.

The CPA Braches are currently grouped geographically into nine Commonwealth Regions for representation on the CPA Executive Committee and for the organisation of regional conferences and seminars on parliamentary practice and procedure.

The Regions are: Asia, Australia, British Islands and Mediterranean, Canada, Caribbean, Americans and Atlantic, India, Pacific, South-East Asia and Africa Region which has 41 active CPA Branches in national, state and provincial Parliaments.