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)

Protestors Stacie Ellen Murphy, Alanna Cassidy and Lena Seale walk in their Underwear on Grafton Street in Dublin, support of victims of sexual violence in Irerland on Wednesday, November 16, 2018. (Photo by PA Wire)

Women perform under black fabric during a street performance in Pristina on October 6, 2017 against sexual harassments in Kosovo. (Photo by Armend Nimani/AFP Photo)

Celebrities attend The National Reality TV Awards 2016 at the Porchester Hall in London, United Kingdom on September 29, 2016. (Photo by FameFlynet UK)

MTV Ex On The Beach and reality TV Star Jemma Lucy is spotted keeping herself in shape with a workout session in a park in Manchester, UK on September 2, 2016. (Photo by XposurePhotos.Com)

“Jessica”, a silicon sеx doll for sexual encounters lies on a bed at the “Bordoll” brothel on April 17, 2019 in Dortmund, Germany. Bordoll is Germany's first brothel to specialize in sеx dolls. It currently offers 13 female dolls and one male doll and will soon be expanding its female line-up. Schwarz says “sеx dolls are so popular because the client can do what he wants to and nobody complains”. (Photo by Lukas Schulze/Bongarts/Getty Images)

Protesting women shout slogans during a demonstration against sexual violence in front of the governor's mansion in San Juan, Puerto Rico on May 3, 2021. The demonstrators denounce the inaction and slowness of the state in implementing the executive order declaring a state of emergency against gender-based violence. (Photo by Ricardo Arduengo/AFP Photo)

Young couple masturbating while using virtual reality glasses in the bed. Happy lover having sеx with vr goggles 3d in the bedroom. (Photo by Alamy Stock Photo)