Did you know
Each year, thousands of children are wrongfully removed or retained across international borders by a parent in violation of custody rights, resulting in prolonged separation and psychological harm.
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According to Canada's Annual Consular Data Report 2024–2025, Canadian officials managed 743 child-related assistance cases involving children abroad, including parental child abduction. This represents a 16% increase from the previous year.
Families affected by international parental child abduction continue to face significant systemic barriers that impact prevention, access to support that limit reunification outcomes.​
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Together, we can change this.
WhyWe Exist
Lived experience provides perspective that observation alone cannot.
Shine a Lite Network was founded following the experience of navigating international parental child abduction and identifying gaps, barriers, and challenges within existing responses. This experience revealed the need for greater awareness, education, collaboration, and knowledge-sharing among families, professionals, and institutions.
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Founded by Layan Bishtawi, who successfully reunited with her children after navigating a complex international parental child abduction case and pursueda Bachelor of Laws (LLB) to deepen her understanding of legal systems, Shine a Lite Network bridges lived experience with legal knowledge and research.
Through this unique perspective, Shine a Lite Network works to improve understanding, identify systemic challenges, and advance more informed, coordinated, and effective responses to international parental child abduction.
