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 Palestinian female volunteers for the al- Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, a militant group part of Fatah movement, stands with her weapon in this undated photo. Unlike Hamas and Islamic Jihad, the ideology of al-Aqsa is rooted in Palestinian nationalism not political Islam, and is the only Palestinian group that accepts and trains women to be “martyrs”. (Photograph by Courtney Kealy/Getty Images)

A female Marine prepares to throw a practice grenade during Marine Combat Training (MCT) on February 21, 2013 at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Since 1988 all non-infantry enlisted male Marines have been required to complete 29 days of basic combat skills training at MCT after graduating from boot camp. MCT has been required for all enlisted female Marines since 1997. About six percent of enlisted Marines are female. (Photo by Scott Olson)

Taronga's first female elephant calf explores the paddock with her mother Pak Boon at Taronga Zoo on November 3, 2010 in Sydney, Australia. The 120kg elephant was born at 1:12am and is Taronga's first female calf and fifth born to The Australian Conservation Management Plan for endangered elephants. The calf will be given a Thai name to reflect the herds' cultural origin. (Photo by Brendon Thorne/Getty Images)

This summer China opened its door to its first private bodyguard training company in Beijing. Genghis Security Academy offers rigorous training course which includes aquatic training, martial arts, vehicle safety training and other necessary skills. Photo: Female and male trainees run during a bodyguard training program at the boot camp of Genghis Security Academy in Beijing, China. (Photo by ImagineChina/The Grosby Group)

AFP presents a photo essay on professional wrestler Gia Scott shot by photographer Jim Watson over several months in 2018. Kierra Scott – better known by her stage name Gia – is a rising star in the US pro wrestling scene. This month, the 19-year-old became the youngest ever female champion of the MCW wrestling league in Maryland. Here: Professional wrestler Gia Scott (R) tries to break free from the grip of professional wrestler Aria Palmer (L) during Autumn Armageddon 2018 in Galena, Maryland on October 6, 2018. (Photo by Jim Watson/AFP Photo)

A picture made available on 16 August 2016 shows a young dare devil motorbike rider, Karmila Purba, 18, reaching for a tip while riding her motorbike inside a barrel locally known as “Tong Setan” or Davil's Barrel, at a traditional night carnival in Deliserdang, North Sumatra, Indonesia, 13 August 2016. (Photo by Dedi Sinuhaji/EPA)

“Stephen Gough (born c. 1959), also known as Steve Gough and the Naked Rambler, is an activist, and a British former Royal Marine. In 2003-2004, he walked the length of Great Britain naked. He did it again in 2005-2006, but was arrested in England and in Scotland. He subsequently spent six years in prison, having been repeatedly rearrested for public nudity within a short period, each time he was released. He has spent most of his sentences in Saughton and Perth prisons, in Scotland”. – Wikipedia

Photo: Stephen Gough the naked rambler makes his way south through Peebles in the Scottish Borders, following his release from Saughton Prison yesterday after serving his latest sentence on October 6, 2012 in Peebles, Scotland. (Photo by Jeff J. Mitchell)