After facing accusations of sexism, a council overseeing co-parenting mediators has added two spots specifically for men.

The Co-Parenting Council launched on August 1, intending to help separating parents reach an amicable compromise over their children.

At the time, Patricia Gordon-Pamplin, the Minister of Community, Culture and Sports, defended the fact that all five council members were female.

“Women have a level of sensitivity that they can bring,” Ms Gordon-Pamplin said of the appointees, who were handed three-year terms.

“We are not discounting the worth of men in the process — the starting point is where we really need to get it right.

“Ultimately we will certainly open the council to other people that might be willing to serve, but I don’t think anybody needs to feel disadvantaged.”

However, on Wednesday Ms Gordon-Pamplin presented a bill in the House of Assembly to expand the council to seven members, to include at least two representatives of both genders at any given time.

She said: “Concerns were raised in the community regarding the fact that there were no male members appointed to the council, even though the council has a regulatory function only, and will not be directly involved in conducting family mediation.

“I have apologised for the insensitivity of my comments, which were certainly not intended to offend.

“The community must not think there is a female bias in the rendering of services to families and children in need of them.”

Michael Weeks, the Shadow Minister of Health and Community Affairs, welcomed the move — having penned an angry letter to The Royal Gazette in August regarding the council’s lack of male representation.

“It’s three months late, but I’m glad that we have (the change) and I congratulate the Minister for rectifying the error,” he said. The new amendment act was also passed by the Senate on Friday afternoon.