(Courtesy of Tolu Onibokun / Malala Fund)

Assembly readers from Bangladesh, Nigeria, Portugal, Tunisia and more share photos of their friends and tell us why their girl crew is special.

Warning: this article will make you want to call up your best friends!

We asked Assembly readers to tell us about the most important girls in your lives — and wow, did you deliver! Your responses showed that strong girl groups have common ingredients: laughter, support and a whole lot of love.

“I know in my heart that no matter what life throws my way, my friends have got my back.”

— Sadia, 16, Bangladesh

“These are the most important people I have outside family. They are the best friends I could ask [for]. We always make each other laugh. When something is wrong, we try to cheer up each other. We never lie to each other, we are completely honest. I really like this special bond we have!”

— Gabriela, 15, Portugal

“They show me the real meaning of friendship.”

— Thanaletchumi, Malaysia

"For me, I think the journey of life is really boring without friends or a friend. You don’t need much, you just need that one person with whom you can be vulnerable and open with. What makes my friend Funmilola very special to me is how open, sincere and vulnerable I can be with her and not get judged in return. With her, my lowest moments are like sparks of bright and unique lights."

— Aramide, 20, Nigeria

“They are so caring and loving. They support me every day and I just can’t explain how amazing they are and how they have impacted my life.”

— Mazie, 13, U.S.

“Our bond is special because we care and we love each other.”

— Paulina, 18, Colombia

“We all dwell in the same world, ignoring the outer world and enjoying ourselves to the core.”

— Maria, India

“We are always there for each other. When Sirine had a surgery on her back to get rid of her scoliosis, we were there for her. We helped her to walk, to eat, to sit, etc. We are like sisters. Even if we are having a fight, when one of them has a problem, we do not hesitate to stand with her.”

— Aycha, 15, Tunisia

“Even though we have very different personalities, the love and respect we all share for each other makes it all worth it. Also, we never forget to support each other’s dreams!”

— Magda, 17, Portugal

“The three of us have been a squad for seven years now — despite the fact that we all live in different states, we still text every day and have inside jokes that will last a lifetime.”

— Omolara, 20, U.S.