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)

An actor portraying Jesus Christ takes part in the interactive street-theatre Passion play “Il-Mixja” (The Way), one of a series of Holy Week activities in the run-up to Easter, in the grounds of Mount Carmel Mental Hospital in Attard, outside Valletta, Malta, March 22, 2016. (Photo by Darrin Zammit Lupi/Reuters)

A teller at a money changer handles Indonesia rupiah bank notes in Jakarta, Indonesia November 11, 2016. (Photo by Darren Whiteside/Reuters)

Yeshiva School students briefly dance on Grant Street after the menorah lighting outside of the City-County Building for the fifth night of Hanukkah, Thursday, December 26, 2019, in downtown Pittsburgh. (Photo by Alexandra Wimley/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette via AP Photo)

Participants jump into the water during the 114th edition of the Copa Nadal (Christmas Cup) swimming race in Barcelona's Port Vell on December 25, 2023. The traditional 200-meter Christmas swimming race gathered around 300 participants on Barcelona's Port Vell (old harbour). (Photo by Josep Lago/AFP Photo)

In this July 11, 2018 photo, members of a private photo studio take pictures of a woman in Havana, Cuba. New rules for private business indicate that the government has ruled out going further to open private business, such as allowing small and medium enterprises and authorizing business to operate as societies. Currently, private business licenses are granted only to individuals, and only one license per person. (Photo by Desmond Boylan/AP Photo)

A hot air balloon in the likeness of Yoda from Star Wars prepares for liftoff at the 21st Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Festival at the former Clark US Air Force base in Pampanga Province, Philippines on February 9, 2017. (Photo by Xinhua News Agency/Rex Features/Shutterstock)

Transgender Kendra Ferrari, 21, performs during Miss Night Queen beauty contest in Guatemala City, Friday, June 15, 2012. Ferrari won the pageant and will represent the transgender community for one year. (Photo by Rodrigo Abd/AP Photo)