Dozens of women will be allowed to vote at an upcoming meeting of bishops, Pope Francis has decided, in a landmark move aimed at broadening female and laypeople voices in the male-exclusive life of the Catholic Church.

The pope approved changes to the norms governing the Synod of Bishops, a Vatican body that gathers the world’s bishops together for periodic meetings, following years of demands by women to have the right to vote.

The Vatican on Wednesday published the modifications the pope approved, which emphasise his vision for the lay faithful taking on a greater role in church affairs that have long been left to clerics, bishops and cardinals.