It silences Afghan girl's voices, steals their hopes, and suffocates their imagination and potential. Without education, girls are pushed into early marriage, stripped of career opportunities, and are no longer able to shape their future. It is bitterly disappointing that the international community has not done enough to protect education for Afghan girls. I hear this sentiment repeatedly when I speak with teenaged Afghan girls. Afghan women and girls have waited too long already - the international community needs to stand up alongside them right now.