As the end of a highly favourable cycle for the region draws near, there are a few warning signs on the horizon: although employment and productivity have grown, profound changes in the production structure have failed to materialize. Female workforce participation remains highly stratified (see figure 1.16): women from low-income sectors show much lower participation and employment rales then women from upper-middle- and high-income sectors, with the gap being wider than for men (especially in the case of the participation rate). The high degree of differentiation in female workforce participation by income quintile is associated with the gendered pattern of division of labour, limited capacity to pay for care and household services, and maternity at early ages.