"We have managed to educate people and convince many parents, including those with strong traditional beliefs, that circumcising girls is not a requirement in Islam," said Sheikh Harun Rashid of Isiolo Rahma Mosque.

"Our first assignment was to inform the parents that the holy book [Quran] teaches that the painful act is not an obligation; it is a tradition and not a religious obligation," he told IRIN in Isiolo.

"Islam is very clear; no part of our bodies should be removed or changed. Only boys are supposed to be cut," explained Sheikh Mohamed Abdi from nearby Garissa, the largely Muslim capital of northeastern region.

The campaign, which started in a small way 10 years ago, is now spearheaded by the Muslim Council of Imams and Preachers of Kenya. It still relies heavily on teachings delivered during Friday prayers, to reach the large Muslim populations in northeastern Kenya. More than 30 Mosques exist in Isiolo and Garissa towns alone, and the campaign has been extended to the coastal province as well.

"Our simple campaigns by imams and Islamic schoolteachers are mainly conducted on Friday when large numbers of Muslims attend weekly prayers so we convince many," said Rashid.

According to council officials, the campaign has now spread across northeastern and parts of eastern provinces.

FGM involves the cutting and/or removal of the clitoris and other vaginal tissue, often under unsanitary conditions. It is practiced in at least 28 countries globally and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) estimates that up to 140 million girls and women around the world have undergone some form of FGM.