The Shoura Council is making seating arrangements for 35 women members in preparation for their appointment, reports in the media said yesterday quoting informed sources inside the consultative body. They expected the number of new women Shoura members could reach 35 in the 150-member council. Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah is likely to announce the new women members shortly. According to one source, women members would sit on the right side of the president, dismissing previous reports that they would be sitting in the chairs allocated for guests and women consultants. The Shoura will appoint women administrators and secretaries to support women members, Al-Watan Arabic daily reported, quoting another source. There is no official confirmation on the number of women members. “It is very difficult now to determine the number of women Shoura members,” said Muhammad Al-Muhanna, spokesman of the council, adding that arrangements for their membership would be announced shortly. In September 2011, King Abdullah said women would become members of the consultative council in the next term. “We made this decision because we refuse to marginalize women in Saudi society in their roles that comply with the Islamic Shariah,” the king said, adding that the decision was taken following consultations with many Saudi Islamic scholars who had supported the move. “Muslim women in our history have had stances that cannot be sidelined, be it through views or advice, since the time of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him),” the king told a Shoura meeting. According to the king, “balanced modernization compatible with Islamic values was a significant necessity.” He added: “It is our right to receive your opinion and advice according to the fundamentals of our religion. Whoever trespasses them is arrogant and must take responsibility for those actions.” King Abdullah also announced that women would have the right to run and vote in the 2015 municipal elections. Women in the GCC countries and elsewhere have warmly welcomed the king’s initiative. The Shoura Council has set up an ad hoc commission to look into the measures and procedures to be taken to ensure a smooth welcome and an adequate working atmosphere for the women members in 2013. At present the Shoura has 12 women advisers whose work is related mainly to the issues of women, families and children. According to a report carried by Al-Sharq newspaper, authorities have started efforts to pick qualified women. A special commission, headed by the king, will look into the nominees to finalize the list. Criteria include Saudi citizenship, a minimum of 30 years of age, impeccable personal record, high level of competency and practical experience. The Shoura Council’s bylaws do not oppose the membership of women. However, since it was founded in 1993, the council had only male members. The first council (1993–1997) had a speaker and 60 members and the second (1997–2001) had a speaker and 90 members. The third council (2001–2005) had a speaker and 120 members and the fourth (2005–2009) had a speaker plus 150 members. From:Arab News