Mexican wrestler known as Mini Psycho walks inside the Basilica of Our Lady Guadalupe during the annual pilgrimage in Mexico City, Mexico August 25, 2016. (Photo by Carlos Jasso/Reuters)

A pilgrim enters the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe on their hands and knees to honour the Virgin Mary in Mexico City, Mexico on December 11, 2022. (Photo by Jorge Nunez/Zuma Press Wire/Rex Features/Shutterstock)

A child dressed as a clown takes part in the celebration of the Virgen de los Desamparados, or Our Lady of the Abandoned, at Diria town, Nicaragua May 14, 2016. (Photo by Oswaldo Rivas/Reuters)

A clown checks her phone as she waits outside the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, in Mexico City, Monday, December 14, 2015. Hundreds of clowns belonging to various clown associations made their annual pilgrimage to the Basilica on Monday to pay their respects to the Virgin of Guadalupe, Mexico's patron saint. (Photo by Rebecca Blackwell/AP Photo)

Clowns take part in the annual pilgrimage to the Basilica of Our Lady Guadalupe to pay homage to the Virgin of Guadalupe in Mexico City December 16, 2014. Dressed in colourful costumes, hundreds of clowns from all over Mexico walked towards the Basilica to give thanks to the virgin for the work they have received. (Photo by Carlos Jasso/Reuters)

A Filipino pet owner carries her dog as she prays before the animal blessing rites at the Our Lady of Remedies Parish Church in Malate district, Manila, Philippines on Sunday, October 5, 2014. Several Filipinos brought their pets to be blessed during the annual event which is also done to celebrate the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals and ecology. (Photo by Aaron Favila/AP Photo)

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)