Girls were blocked from attending school beyond the sixth grade, and in December 2022 the Taliban extended the ban to universities, effectively shutting women out of higher education. Before the Taliban takeover, nearly one million Afghan girls were enrolled in secondary school, reflecting two decades of expanding educational opportunities. For millions of Afghan girls, the most damaging reality may simply be the passing of time. Five years without access to secondary education is no longer a temporary disruption. It has placed the future of an entire generation of Afghan women in jeopardy.