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 Colombia fan clearly regrets invading the pitch as she is chased by a large security guard during the International Friendly match between Australia and Colombia at Craven Cottage on March 27, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Charlotte Wilson/Offside/Getty Images)

Visitors hold mobile devicecs in front of the golden burial mask of King Tutankhamun during the first day for visitors after the official opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza, Egypt, Tuesday, November 4, 2025. (Photo by Amr Nabil/AP Photo)

Palestinian children warm themselves by a fire on a stormy day at Shati (beach) refugee camp in Gaza City January 18, 2016. (Photo by Mohammed Salem/Reuters)

Caoimhe Cooburn-Gray poses for a picture on St. Patrick's day in Dublin, Ireland March 17, 2016. Saint Patrick's Day is a cultural and religious celebration held on 17 March, the traditional death date of Saint Patrick (c. AD 385–461), the foremost patron saint of Ireland. Celebrations generally involve public parades and festivals, céilithe, and the wearing of shamrocks, as well as green or orange attire. (Photo by Clodagh Kilcoyne/Reuters)

Garrett Gerloff (L) of the USA GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Junior Team and Sandro Cortese (R) of Germany on OUTDO Kawasaki TPR colide during a warm up session of the the World Superbike Championship on Phillip Island, Victoria, Australia, 01 March 2020. (Photo by Scott Barbour/EPA/EFE)

Dutch cyclist Fabio Jakobsen's bicycle (behind, L) flies through the air as he collides with compatriot Dylan Groenewegen (on the ground, L) during the opening stage of the Tour of Poland race in Katowice, southern Poland on August 5, 2020. The Dutch rider was fighting for his life on Wednesday after he was thrown into and over a barrier at 80km/h in a sickening conclusion to the opening stage of the Tour of Poland. (Photo by Szymon Gruchalski/Forum/AFP Photo)

A pupil arrives on the first day of school at Yas American Academy in Abu Dhabi in the last decade of August 2025. (Photo by Victor Besa/The National)