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 dancer practices prior to her audition to be Rockettes for the “2023 Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio City Rockettes” at Radio City Music Hall in in New York City, U.S., April 20, 2023. (Photo by Brendan McDermid/Reuters)

Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo., comforts Rep. Susan Wild, D-Pa., while taking cover as protesters disrupt the joint session of Congress to certify the Electoral College vote on Wednesday, January 6, 2021. (Photo By Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

A couple embrace in silhouette at Craigyhill loyalist bonfire in Larne, Co Antrim on Monday July 11, 2022, on the “Eleventh night” to usher in the Twelfth commemorations. (Photo by Liam McBurney/PA Images via Getty Images)

A man wearing a mouth-nose protection to protect against the coronavirus walks past a department store window with the words “BACK TO LIFE” in Schwerin, Germany, Thursday, April 15, 2021. (Photo by Jens Buettner/dpa via AP Photo)

A contestant holds three Pomeranians during the FCI-CACIB Zakarpattia 2021 International Dog Show at the Avanhard Stadium, Uzhhorod, Zakarpattia Region, western Ukraine on September 19, 2021. (Photo by Ukrinform/Rex Features/Shutterstock)

Two men cross the street in front of a burned-out bus standing beneath a residential building, in the district Neukoelln in Berlin, Germany, Tuesday, January 3, 2023. People across Germany on Saturday resumed their tradition of setting off large numbers of fireworks in public places to see in the new year. The bus was set on fire during the New Year's celebrations. (Photo by Markus Schreiber/AP Photo)

Bella Hadid arrives at a Dior dinner party during the 72nd annual Cannes Film Festival at on May 15, 2019 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Pierre Suu/GC Images)