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)

Pilgrims dressed in traditional Bavarian clothes attend the traditional Georgi horse riding procession on Easter Monday in heavy snowfall, in the southern Bavarian town of Traunstein April 6, 2015. Since the early 16th century, farmers have taken part in the pilgrimage to bless their horses. This tradition, the “Georgiritt”, goes back to the legend of Saint George, the horsemen's patron saint. (Photo by Michael Dalder/Reuters)

A Iranian man walks with a sheep he bought at a market in the capital Tehran on September 12, 2016, as Muslims mark the first day of the Eid al-Adha (Feast of the Sacrifice) holiday. Muslims across the world celebrate the annual festival of Eid al-Adha, or the festival of sacrifice, which marks the end of the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca and commemorates prophet Abraham's readiness to sacrifice his son to show obedience to God. (Photo by AFP Photo/Stringer)

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)

Voodoo pilgrims bathe in a waterfall believed to have purifying powers during the annual celebration in Saut d' Eau, Haiti, Saturday, July 16, 2016. Annually, the falls are the site of a large, important religious pilgrimage, during the festival of Our Lady of Carmel, from July 14–16. A Eucharistic rite is held during the festival, as well as various vodou rituals, but the penultimate devotional activity is bathing in the waters of the falls, and asking favors of the Virgin or Erzulie. After bathing, voodoo pilgrims throw away the dresses they wore to the site, and don new clothes for good luck. (Photo by Dieu Nalio Chery/AP Photo)

A jockey falls off during a traditional Barapan Kebo or buffalo races, in Taliwang, on the island of Sumbawa, West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia November 22, 2015. Around 250 pairs of water buffalo took part in the Barapan Kebo ahead of the planting season, for prizes which included a top prize of a pilgrimage to Mecca. (Photo by Sigit Pamungkas/Reuters)

People who live in nearby villages make their yearly pilgrimage as they walk up the slopes of the Popocatepetl volcano in Mexico, Wednesday, March 12, 2014. Every year on March 12, residents make their way up the volcano celebrate the day of Don Gregorio Chino Popocatepetl, as the volcano is known to them, with food, music, dance and fireworks. When the sun rises, hundreds of pilgrims head out from the towns of Santiago Xalintzintla, Tlamacas and San Nicolas de Los Ranchos in van and trucks to drive, then walk up the 17,886-foot (5,450-meter) volcano for their daylong celebration. (Photo by Eduardo Verdugo/AP Photo)

Devotees take a holy bath during the Swasthani Brata Katha festival in Kathmandu January 20, 2015. During the month-long festival, devotees recite one chapter of a Hindu tale daily from the 31-chapter sacred Swasthani Brata Katha book that is dedicated to God Madhavnarayan and Goddess Swasthani, alongside various other gods and goddesses and the miraculous feats performed by them. The devotees also go on pilgrimages to various temples, perform religious rituals, take a holy bath in the rivers and fast for a month, especially among women who believe fasting helps in their family's well-being or in getting them a good husband. (Photo by Navesh Chitrakar/Reuters)