The Islamic benchmark has established itself as an essential framework for the debate on abortion in Senegal. In this context, women activists from the intellectual and secular elites have refocused advocacy around the Islamic norm. In addition, they have expanded their use of the law to make it a useful tool for women. By acting on these two registers, activists are trying to negotiate a reform which remains acceptable in the light of the social standards in force. These new guidelines help to better connect the right to social concerns and thereby legitimise the actions of women activists and society as a whole. However, maintaining the status quo at legislative level reflects the limitations of this strategy: on the one hand, the attempt to ‘genrification of Islam’ is at odds with conservative majority interpretations and, on the other hand, the use of the ‘weapon of the law’ is still too marginal within the women’s movement to influence political decision-making.