As the world marks the International Day of the Girl Child, women's rights activists point to progress on a wide array of issues but say more needs to be done to protect girls from child marriage, sexual assault and other forms of exploitation. Here is a selection of pictures showing the daily lives of girls across the globe, all taken by female Associated Press photojournalists. Here: In this December 14, 2015, file photo, a young clown rides in the back of a car following a procession to the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City. Hundreds belonging to various clown associations made their annual pilgrimage to the Basilica to pay their respects to the Virgin of Guadalupe, Mexico's patron saint. (Photo by Rebecca Blackwell/AP Photo)

Christmas party goers seen on December 14, 2018 in Liverpool, United Kingdom. Revellers hit the bars as they partied hard on the second-to-last Friday before Christmas. (Photo by Mercury Press)

A pedestrian leaps across a flooded portion of the La Paz and Seventh Street intersection as a winter storm arrived, Thursday, December 6, 2018 in Victorville, Calif. The second round of a fall storm dumped snow and rain that jammed traffic on Southern California highways and loosened hillsides in wildfire burn areas on Thursday. (Photo by James Quigg/The Daily Press via AP Photo)

A doorman stands at the entrance of the “The Walled Off Hotel” in the West Bank city of Bethlehem, Friday, March 3, 2017. The owner of a guest house packed with the elusive artist Banksy's work has opened the doors of his West Bank establishments to media, showcasing its unique “worst view in the world”. The hotel, several of whose rooms look onto an Israeli security watchtower, is awash in the trademark satirical work of the mysterious artist. (Photo by Dusan Vranic/AP Photo)

British fashion designer Mary Quant, right, waves as she poses with models wearing her Mod creations in Little Rock, Ark. on October 25, 1968. The models, from left, are, Amanda Tear, Rory Davis and Penny Yates. (Photo by AP Photo)

An EF-2 tornado begins to rope out on the outskirts of Mangum, Oklahoma, U.S. on May 20, 2019. Multiple tornadoes touched down and heavy rain flooded areas across Oklahoma. (Photo by Brett Conner/ZUMA Wire)

Miss Vanjie performs during the LA Pride 2019 on June 09, 2019 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images)

Charli XCX performs on day three of the Pitchfork Music Festival at Union Park on July 21, 2019 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)