School dropout among girls in rural areas is a major obstacle to sustainable development, as it perpetuates poverty, reinforces gender inequalities, and limits women’s economic empowerment. This phenomenon results from several interconnected factors that gradually lead to school abandonment. One of the main causes is household poverty, which often forces families to prioritize child labor over education, particularly for girls. Early and sometimes forced marriages, as well as adolescent pregnancies, are also significant factors contributing to school interruption, especially in contexts of social and economic vulnerability. The school environment further exacerbates the problem. In rural areas, long distances between home and school, the lack of institutions offering attractive technical or vocational programs, as well as insecurity and harassment, discourage continued education. Cultural factors also play a key role, including the low value placed on girls’ education and the low literacy levels of parents, which limit their ability to support schooling. The consequences are significant. Economically, illiteracy restricts access to stable employment and confines women to informal and low-income jobs. Financially, it reduces their participation in savings systems and microcredit opportunities. From a health perspective, it leads to lower use of maternal and child healthcare services, increasing health risks. Ultimately, it contributes to an intergenerational cycle of poverty and exclusion. To address these challenges, several solutions are proposed, including awareness campaigns targeting families and communities, financial support for vulnerable households, improvement of school infrastructure through nearby schools and boarding facilities, as well as teacher training and remedial education programs.

In the peripheral neighborhoods of Lubumbashi, women's economic empowerment is a determining factor in social and family balance. By gaining access to income-generating activities such as small-scale trade, crafts, or informal services, women strengthen their contribution to household expenses, notably in terms of food, children's education, and health. This increased participation improves living conditions and reduces families' economic vulnerability. However, this empowerment is accompanied by transformations in family dynamics. While it promotes greater participation of women in decision-making and strengthens their status within the household, it can also generate tensions related to the redefinition of traditional gender roles, particularly in contexts where socio-cultural norms remain conservative. Moreover, the burden of work is a major challenge, with women having to reconcile economic activities and domestic responsibilities. Despite these constraints, economic empowerment appears overall as a positive lever for family stability, promoting household resilience and better resource management. Thus, it contributes to the emergence of new social and family balances, based on greater complementarity of roles within the household.