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)

A picture taken with a drone shows the giant landart painting entitled “Message From Future” by French artist Saype in the park “La Perle du Lac” in Geneva, Switzerland, 16 September 2018 (issued 17 September). The artwork covering 5,000 square meters was produced with biodegradable paints made from natural pigments. The artist called the little girl “Future” as a symbol of the generations from the future and the small origami boats that she drops into Lake Geneva aims to represent a message of hope sent to the world. (Photo by Valentin Flauraud/EPA/EFE)

Yuchen Chao of Chinese Taipei in action during the Beach Handball Women's Tournament match between Chinese Taipei and Paraguay at The Beach Handball Arena, Tecnopolis Park, Buenos Aires, Argentina, October 12, 2018. (Photo by Lukas Schulze for OIS/IOC/Handout via Reuters)

A woman poses after she got an image of a lion tattooed on her back as part of awareness campaign to save Asiatic lions and in preparations for the upcoming Navratri festival in Ahmedabad, India, October 5, 2018. (Photo by Amit Dave/Reuters)

An Exmoor wild goat silhouetted in the sky over the Bristol Channel at the valley of the Rocks, North Devon, as the UK's heat wave continues on July 19, 2018. (Photo by Paul Silver/South West News Service)

MiG-15 jet fighters are pictured in Kucova Air Base in Kucova, Albania on October 3, 2018. Albania retired its 224 Soviet- and Chinese-made MiGs in 2005, and since 2009 NATO neighbors Italy and Greece monitor its airspace. That led to economic decline in and around Kucova, which was called “Stalin City” during the era of Communist rule. (Photo by Florion Goga/Reuters)

Peter Weiss, director of the Space Department of COMEX, (c) tests a pressurized suit identical to those used in space expeditions in the lava tunnel of “Caverne Gendarme” on October 12, 2018 in Saint-Philippe, the French overseas island of Reunion. Reunion could become a training site for astronauts. (Photo by Richard Bouhet/AFP Photo)

Michelle Rodriguez attends the European Premiere of “Widows” and opening night gala of the 62nd BFI London Film Festival on October 10, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by James Gourley/Rex Features/Shutterstock)