Grace period proves its worth to many couples

ABOUT 4,500 COUPLES in the Dali Bai autonomous prefecture in Yunnan province, Southwest China gave up the idea of divorce last year thanks to the introduction of a grace period for divorce proceedings promoted in 2015 by the local government, Guangming Online reported on Sunday. The website comments:

The civil affairs departments in various regions established grace periods to allow couples to reconsider their decisions. Also some coordination offices were set up to offer counseling to the couples.

There has been criticism that such grace periods violate the right of residents to get a divorce by deliberately prolonging the procedure. However, the fundamental purpose of the grace periods is to protect impulsive and irrational couples from making the wrong decision. The grace periods actually offer them a chance to consider if they are really making the right decision.