Nuns from the United States dance as they wait for the Holy Mass with Pope Francis (not seen) at the Campus Misericordiae in Brzegi, Poland, 31 July 2016. Today Pope Francis will celebrate the holy mass ending the World Youth Day 2016 in Poland. (Photo by Marcin Obara/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)

In this handout provided by Maritime New Zealand, MV Rena is battered by strong seas as it is stuck on Astrolabe Reef, on November 2, 2011 in Tauranga, New Zealand. The stricken vessel encountered a three metre swell, which led authorities to fear it may finally break up. Rena struck the reef on October 5, and has spilled 350 tonnes of oil, and almost 100 shipping containers. (Photo by Graeme Brown/Maritime New Zealand via Getty Images)

This is a story about how get to the top of the crane that mounted on the roof of the tallest building in Europe. So... its illegal and unsafe =)

Event curators Harry Parr (L) and Sam Bompas (R) sit in paddle boats in the Truvia Voyage of Discovery installation on the roof of Selfridges department shop on July 21, 2011 in London, England. Selfridges is opening its roof to the public for only the second time since WW2 to host the installation, which includes a boating lake with dyed water and bar. (Photo by Matthew Lloyd/Getty Images)

A staff member at the Rising Sun Anger Release Bar suits up in protective gear August 8, 2006 in Nanjing of Jiangsu Province, China. (Photo by China Photos/Getty Images)

More than 1,200 vintage posters that would send any movie buff into orbit were discovered in an Ohio garage, including the only known copy of an almost 7-foot-tall creation for the 1947 reissue of “Dracula” that could sell for $40,000. The Dallas-based Heritage Auctions in Dallas puts them all on the block March 22 and 23, including some rare specimens from the silent movie era. (Photo by Courtesy Heritage Auctions)

Elvish writing is seen on “Anduril”, a prop sword belonging to Aragorn, hero of “The Lord of the Rings” movie trilogy on July 31, 2014 in London, England. The sword, belonging to actor Sir Christopher Lee and estimated at $150,000-250,000, forms part of Bonhams “There's No Place Like Hollywood” movie memorabilia auction taking place in New York on November 24, 2014. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images)