Leaders of the Commonwealth, a group primarily made up of former British colonies, gathered for a three-day summit with the pressure to address human rights abuses among its members or face losing its relevance. Queen Elizabeth, 85 years old, inaugurated the meeting of leaders from the 54 states of the Commonwealth, representing 30 percent of the world's population and five of the G20 leading economies. Despite its size and economic power, the Commonwealth has struggled to make an impact on global policies. The lead-up to the summit has been focused on the need for a stronger stance on human rights and political abuses. A confidential report warned that failing to address these issues could render the Commonwealth ineffective as an organization. Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard highlighted this concern in her opening speech by emphasizing the importance of member nations upholding the group's values and being open to change. There has been much discussion about the need for an independent investigation into allegations of war crimes in Sri Lanka during its civil war. Sri Lanka is waiting for the results of its own investigation and believes the pressure on human rights is a propaganda tactic by the defeated Tamil Tigers. Foreign ministers were unable to agree on a recommendation to appoint a rights commissioner from an "eminent persons" report. Canada has threatened to boycott the 2013 Commonwealth summit in Sri Lanka unless there is an improvement in the host country's human rights record. Amnesty International's Asia-Pacific Deputy Director, Madhu Malhotra, believes Commonwealth leaders must reform the organization to effectively address human rights violations or risk losing relevance. British Prime Minister David Cameron rejected the idea that the Commonwealth was no longer valuable, emphasizing its importance as a network of 54 countries with a third of the world's population and shared values of promoting human rights and democracy. The opening ceremony was cleansed by Aborigines with a traditional smoke ceremony to welcome leaders to their homeland. Aborigines view British white settlement in Australia as an invasion, which was evident during a protest in Perth involving 500 people on various issues. The protesters were kept away from leaders by a large police presence in the central business district, which is primarily made up of office blocks of mining companies that drive Western Australia's economy. Smaller countries within the group, particularly those vulnerable to global warming, are urging for a strong statement ahead of the upcoming international climate change summit in Durban, South Africa. Additionally, there are calls for leaders to help end the practice of child brides, with twelve of the top 20 countries with the highest rates of child brides being in the Commonwealth. According to health advocates, the laws in 41 Commonwealth states that criminalize homosexuality violate human rights and impede efforts to combat HIV-AIDS. These states account for 60 percent of the global HIV-AIDS population.