Pope Francis, in a historic move that could lead to more inclusiveness in decision-making in the Roman Catholic Church, will allow women to vote for the first time at a global meeting of bishops in October.

In the past, women were allowed to attend the synods, a papal advisory body, as auditors but with no right to vote.

The revolutionary rules, announced on Wednesday, allow for five religious sisters with voting rights.

Additionally, the pope has decided the inclusion of what a Vatican document called "70 non-bishop members who represent various groupings of the faithful of the people of God".

The 70 priests, religious sisters, deacons and lay Catholics will be chosen by the pope from a list of 140 people recommended by national bishops' conferences. The conferences were encouraged to include young people. The Vatican has asked that 50% of the 70 be women.

Synods are usually attended by about 300 people, so the bulk of those with voting rights will still be bishops. Still, the change is remarkable for an institution that has been male-dominated for centuries.

The new rules follow two major steps Francis took last year to place women in decision-making positions in the Vatican.

In one, he introduced a landmark reform that will allow any baptised lay Catholic, including women, to head most Vatican departments under a new constitution for the Holy See's central administration.

In another last year, he named three women to a previously all-male committee that advises him in selecting the world's bishops.