Saudi names six women as deputy chairpersons of Shura committees

The Shura Council reconstituted on Monday its 14 specialized committees for the third year of its Sixth Session, which will begin its business on Thursday.

As many as six women members were chosen as deputy chairpersons of the committees.

The following are the chairmen and deputy chairpersons of the committees: Faleh Al-Sughair and Thamer Al-Ghashyan (Islamic and judicial affairs committee), Dr. Sattam Lanjawi and Dr. Abdullah Al-Otaibi (health), Saleh Al-Husseini and Fahd Al-Anzi (economic and energy), Saud Al-Subaie and Nawaf Al-Fagm (security), Khidr Al-Qurashi and Huda Bint Abdurahman Al-Halisi (foreign affairs), Muhammad Al-Naqadi and Dalal Bint Mekhled Al-Harbi (administration and human resources), Mishal Al-Sulami and Zainab Bint Muthanna Abu Taleb (education and scientific research), Ahmed Al-Zulaie and Fatima Bint Muhammad Al-Qarni (culture, media, tourism and antiquities), Hossam Al-Anqari and Fahd Bin Muhammad (finance), Nasser Al-Shahrani and Dr. Thuraya Obeid (human rights and monitoring authorities), Muhammad Al-Mutairi and Jabran Al-Qahtani (Haj, housing and public utility services), Ali Al-Tukhais and Atallah Abu Hassan (water, agriculture and environment), Jibreel Oraishi and Hamed Al-Sharari (transport, communications and IT), and Abdulaziz Al-Hadlaq and Hamda Bint Khalaf Al-Anzi (social, family and youth).

The Council also discussed the draft document on the Kingdom’s population policy, read out by Muhammad Al-Mutairi, chairman of the committee for housing, water and public utility services.

The members expressed their views on the amendments in the policy draft, especially adding the term “encouraging breast feeding” and amending the term “reproductive health” to “health of mother and child.”

The Council will continue deliberations on the draft in the next sitting before voting on it.

This story was originally posted on the Saudi Gazette on Dec. 22, 2014.