, ▁now ▁the ▁beg inn ings ▁of ▁solid ▁reform ." ▁The ▁king ▁made ▁the ▁announ cement ▁in ▁a ▁five - min ute ▁speech ▁to ▁the ▁Sh ura ▁Council . ▁In ▁January ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁King ▁Abd ul lah ▁issued ▁two ▁royal ▁decre es , ▁grant ing ▁women ▁thirty ▁seats ▁on ▁the ▁council , ▁and ▁stating ▁that ▁women ▁must ▁always ▁hold ▁at ▁least ▁a ▁fifth ▁of ▁the ▁seats ▁on ▁the ▁council . ▁According ▁to ▁the ▁decre es , ▁the ▁female ▁council ▁members ▁must ▁be ▁" comm itted ▁to ▁Islam ic ▁Sh aria h ▁discipl ines ▁without ▁any ▁viol ations " ▁and ▁be ▁" rest rained ▁by ▁the ▁religious ▁ve il ." ▁The ▁decre es ▁also ▁said ▁that ▁the ▁female ▁council ▁members ▁would ▁be ▁entering ▁the ▁council ▁building ▁from ▁special ▁gates , ▁sit ▁in ▁seats ▁reserved ▁for ▁women ▁and ▁pray ▁in ▁special ▁wor sh ipping ▁places . ▁Ear lier , ▁officials ▁said ▁that ▁a ▁screen ▁would ▁separate ▁g enders ▁and ▁an ▁internal ▁communic ations ▁network ▁would ▁allow ▁men ▁and ▁women ▁to ▁communicate . ▁Women ▁first ▁joined ▁the ▁council ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁occup ying ▁thirty ▁seats . ▁There ▁are ▁two ▁Sa udi ▁royal ▁women ▁among ▁these ▁thirty ▁female ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁assembly , ▁S ara ▁b int ▁F ais al ▁Al ▁Sa ud ▁and ▁M oud i ▁b int ▁K hal id ▁Al ▁Sa ud . ▁Furthermore , ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 3 ▁three ▁women ▁were ▁named ▁as ▁deput y ▁chair pers ons ▁of ▁three ▁comm itte es