RIYADH — The 7th Session of the Shoura Council, constituted by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman on Friday, has 20 new female faces.
Ten women members retained their posts out of 30 women appointed by the late King Abdullah to the Council for the first time in royal decrees issued in January 2013.
The historic decrees gave women a 20 percent quota in the Council, a body appointed by the King to advise him on policies and legislation.
The new female members are Ahlam Hakami, Asma Al-Zahrani, Iqbal Darandi, Jawaher Al-Anzi, Jawhara Al-Yami, Hamda Al-Joufi, Raeda Abu Nayyan, Samiyah Bukhari, Sultana Al-Badaiwi, Aliyah Al-Dahlawi, Fatima Al-Shahri, Fawziyah Abal Khail, Kouthar Al-Arbish, Latiefa Al-Buainain, Lina Almaeena, Mouda Al-Khalaf, Noorah Yousef, Noorah Al-Musaed, Noorah Al-Shaaban and Noorah Al-Murai.
King Salman extended the term of Dr. Amal Al-Shaman, Dr. Hanan Al-Ahmadi, Dr. Fatimah Al-Qarni, Dr. Firdous Al-Saleh, Dr. Mastourah Al-Shammari, Dr. Muna Al Mushait, Huda Al-Hilaisi, Dr. Zainab Abu Talib, Dr. Latifa Al-Sha’lan and Dr. Nihad Al-Jishi.
A number of prominent female members such as Dr. Thuraya Obeid, Dr. Hayat Sindi, and Thuraya Al-Arrayed were among the 20 outgoing members.
While reconstituting the Council for a period of four years, the King reinstated Sheikh Abdullah Al-Asheikh as the council’s president, Muhammad Al-Jafri as deputy president and Yahya Al-Samaan as assistant president.
Among the outgoing male members, there were 18 members who completed the maximum period of 12 years.
Asheikh succeeded Sheikh Saleh Bin Humaid as president of the Council in 2009.
Speaking to the Saudi Press Agency, Asheikh thanked King Salman, Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Naif, and Deputy Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman for giving him and the new members an opportunity to serve the nation and the people through playing a key role in the Kingdom’s top consultative body.
© The Saudi Gazette 2016
