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)

Trainers from Tianjiao Special Guard/Security Consultant Ltd. Co. engage trainees dressed in swimming suits as they crawl on the beach during a training session in Sanya, Hainan province January 8, 2012. (Photo by CHINA DAILY/Reuters)

Police take part in a role play exercise as they clear a protest on top of a train during training on March 6, 2012 in Oxenhope, England. A new team of specialist officers set up to deal with searches and policing at a height, such as on top of a train, undergo training exercise in Oxenhope, West Yorkshire. (Photo by Bethany Clarke/Getty Images)

Members of Germany's elite police unit, the Spezialeinsatzkommando, or SEK, demonstrate an abseil deployment from a helicopter during a media event on March 20, 2012 in Minden, Germany. The SEK is the special response team of Germany's state police force and typically deploys in high-risk situations, such as bank robberies, hostage takings and the arrest of armed and dangerous fugitives. (Photo by Thomas Starke/Getty Images)

An Occupy Wall Street protestor is arrested by the police during a march from Zuccotti Park to Union Square on March 24, 2012 in New York City. The Occupy Wall Street movement has seen a resurgence in recent weeks in part due to new protests over the killing of Florida teen Trayvon Martin. (Photo by Andrew Burton/Getty Images)

An anti-government demonstrator argues with a Bolivarian National Police officer during a march toward the headquarters of the national electoral body, CNE, in Caracas, Venezuela, Wednesday, May 18, 2016. Opposition protesters were blocked from reaching the CNE as they demand the government allow it to pursue a recall referendum against Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro. (Photo by Fernando Llano/AP Photo)

An injured fan is helped by a riot policeman during clashes between Red Star Belgrade and Partizan Belgrade fans in the stadium before the teams' Serbian Superliga soccer match in Belgrade, April 25, 2015. Serbian league leaders Partizan Belgrade held champions and bitter city foes Red Star to a 0-0 draw in a derby match marred by bad crowd trouble before kickoff on Saturday. The start was delayed for 45 minutes after home Red Star supporters pelted riot police with seats and flares, forcing officers to retreat from the north tier that houses the club's diehard fans. (Photo by Marko Djurica/Reuters)

(L-R) Diana, Renata, Marina, Sveta and Anastasia of the Showtime reality show “Russian Dolls” visit “The Chaunce Hayden Show” on GFQ Network at Sapphire New York on August 17, 2011 in New York City. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images)