A boy removes rain water from his hut after a heavy downpour in Karachi, Pakistan, 28 August 2016. Heavy monsoon rains across the country has claimed dozens of lives in last few weeks as Pakistan Meteorological Departmen office predict more rains in coming days. (Photo by Shahzaib Akber/EPA)

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 reveler in costume laughs during the “Cordao do Boitata” street party in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday, February 24, 2019, one of the many parades before the official start of Carnival on March 1. (Photo by Leo Correa/AP Photo)

A woman arrives to cast her vote at a polling station as police officers stand guard during the general election, in Peshawar, Pakistan on February 8, 2024. (Photo by Fayaz Aziz/Reuters)

A picture made available on 20 June 2016 shows people praying as they wait to break the fast during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, in Karachi, Pakistan, 19 June 2016. Muslims around the world celebrate the holy month of Ramadan by praying during the night time and abstaining from eating and drinking during the period between sunrise and sunset. Ramadan is the ninth month in the Islamic calendar and it is believed that the Koran's first verse was revealed during its last 10 nights. (Photo by Shahzaib Akber/EPA)

A model presents a creation by Kashee's during Bridal Festive Fashion show in Karachi on August 18, 2022. (Photo by Asif Hassan/AFP Photo)

People wade through a road flooded by heavy rain in Kurume, Fukuoka prefecture, western Japan, Saturday, August 14, 2021. Torrential rain pounding southwestern Japan triggered a mudslide early Friday that swallowed some people and was threatening to cause flooding and more landslides in the region. (Photo by Kyodo News via AP Photo)

The Duchess of Cambridge pulls a pint with the Duke of Cambridge during their visit to Belfast Empire Hall for an informal party to celebrate inspirational young people who are making a real difference in Northern Ireland as part of their two day visit to Northern Ireland on February 27, 2019. (Photo by Aaron Chown/PA Wire Press Association)