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)

Revellers attend the Saint Patrick's Day parade on March 17, 2019 in Dublin, Ireland. Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland is celebrated around the world on St. Patrick's Day. According to legend Saint Patrick used the three-leaved shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity to Irish pagans in the 5th-century after becoming a Christian missionary. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)

A spectator shows off her green, white and gold eyelashes as the annual Saint Patrick's day parade takes place on March 17, 2018 in Dublin, Ireland. Dublin hosts the largest Saint Patrick's day parade in the world with a route spanning 2.5 km. The Irish annals for the fifth century date Patrick's arrival in Ireland in the year 432 with the patron saint of Ireland's remains believed to be buried at Down Cathedral in County Down. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)

«Underwater». Laurie Simmons discovered this silicone sеx doll in a shop while on holiday in Japan and was immediately interested in the type of generic beauty their looks could add to her work. She went on to create the Love Doll series, in which she places silicone sеx dolls in positions that explore a woman’s interior life. (Photo by Laurie Simmons/Salon 94/The Guardian)

A racegoer cheers on their horse at Cheltenham Racecourse for ladies day on March 16, 2011 in Cheltenham, England.

To the woman presented a flower in Sevastopol, Ukraine, on March 8, 2013. Activists presented this day on the street free 155 tulips to women. The police tried to arrest activists for illegal trade as couldn't believe in free distribution of flowers. (Photo by Sergey Anashkevitch)

A woman wears false flag eyelashes during the St Patrick's day parade through Dublin city centre on St Patrick's day, on March 17, 2013. (Photo by Julien Behal/PA Wire)

Spectators dressed as leprechauns attend St Patrick's Day parade in Dublin on March 17, 2014. (Photo by Peter Muhly/AFP Photo)