Two trends are visible – an increasing participation of women in the workforce and a falling participation rate amongst men. A major factor which has contributed to both trends is the change that has taken place in the industrial structure of the UK and similar trends are visible in most other industrialised economies. There has been a decline in the size of the manufacturing sector and consequently a loss of jobs in that sector – these were traditionally full-time male jobs – and at the same time a growth in the service sector where jobs are typically female and part-time. In addition to this, there are other factors which have specifically raised the participation rate of women – cultural factors such as smaller family sizes and the changing role of women in society and political factors like legislation to promote equal pay and treatment.