PRAGUE, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- Promoting women's economic empowerment and their access to education, social protection and the labor market, particularly in the post pandemic period, is critical to achieving stability and sustainable development across the participating States of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), said participants at the opening of the 2021 OSCE Economic and Environmental Forum here on Thursday.

"By acting now and working together towards a more sustainable, inclusive and gender-equal development, we have a chance to curb economic and environmental security risks and build more sustainable, peaceful, and democratic societies in the OSCE region," said Ann Linde, Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs and OSCE Chairperson-in-Office.

OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid said that gender inequality is persistent in all of our societies. "Women and girls have unrecognized potential because the gender pay gap, career opportunities gap and digital divide still exist," she said.

Participants agreed that now is the time to regroup and re-energize to create a more equal, just and sustainable OSCE region, where women and men can equally contribute to the common good and security.

Czech Foreign Minister Jakub Kulhanek said that promoting women's economic empowerment and their participation in public life as well as gender equality are long-term priorities of the Czech Republic. He also mentioned women's role in the COVID-19 pandemic.

"As women are more exposed to the consequences of the pandemic -- be it in their roles as primary caretakers at households or as primary frontline health workers -- we must ensure that all recovery plans provide adequate gender-sensitive support programs so as to accommodate all the specific needs of women and girls," he said.

During the two-day event, senior government officials and experts from academia, NGOs, international organizations and the private sector from OSCE participating states will discuss the theme "Promoting comprehensive security, stability and sustainable development in the OSCE region through women's economic empowerment."