A/HRC/12/10 Page 10 51. Chile has been reducing the levels of poverty and extreme poverty of its population. The gap between indigenous and non-indigenous poverty has dropped and Chile aims to reduce it even more through pertinent policies. 52. Chile’s police service is constantly concerned with avoiding inappropriate behaviour. Every accusation is looked into. All police officers in Chile must take and pass courses on human rights, and all accusations against the police are investigated. 53. Chile is carrying out a process of reforming the military justice system, including taking away the competence that military law currently has over civilians. Chile has enriched the law on “due obedience” to “reflexive obedience” that allows a subordinate to disobey an order that would mean committing a crime. Conscientious objection to military service is available to relatives of the victims of human rights violations of the past. 54. Between 1990 and today, Chile has made progress in the reduction of maternal mortality, reducing the rate from 120 to less than 50 deaths per 100,000 live births. On the issue of abortion, the rate has gone from 60 annual deaths to 17. 55. Through family planning programmes, access to modern contraceptive methods has increased by 34 per cent between 1990 and 2006 and full obstetric services are accessible, including for complications arising from abortions. Drugs for emergency contraception are available by express instruction of the Ministry of Health. In Chile, forced sterilization is illegal. Induced abortion is forbidden in Chilean legislation and this topic is part of society’s current debate. 56. As recently explained to the Committee against Torture, medical care is not conditioned on a statement as to the origin of the disease or wound that the patient suffers. Under the Penal Code, a professional can be charged with refusal to provide care. The Ministry of Health has instructed that although is illegal, women should not be forced to make a statement of responsibility before receiving medical care for injuries resulting from abortion. 57. Chile is currently working on a draft law, with political support from the Government, opposition and civil society, to improve the regime of marital partnership. 58. In 1991, Chile created the National Service for Women to lead the process of eliminating discrimination against women. Ending violence against women is a priority for the President, who established the Gender Agenda 2006-2010 as a technical-political instrument to mainstream gender into public policies. Chile has established 58 women’s centres and 16 shelters. 59. Corporal punishment of children is forbidden in Chile and the Civil Code stipulates that discipline must be exercised in conformity with the law and CRC. 60. Chile’s migration policy is based on respect for human rights of migrants, regardless of migratory status. In 2007, Chile undertook its second regularization process, allowing 50,000 foreigners to obtain residency permits and thus accede to employment opportunities and social security. Given the high migratory flows received, Chile is working on a new law on migration, in accordance with ICRMW. 61. On refugee matters, Chile has maintained a policy of solidarity meant to integrate refugees and asylum seekers. It has participated since 1997 with UNHCR in resettlement