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.
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.
Together, we can change this.
WhyWe Exist
Lived experience provides perspective that observation alone cannot.
Shine a Lite Network was founded after its founder navigated the devastating reality of international parental child abduction and experienced firsthand the legal, practical, and systemic challenges families face. That journey exposed critical gaps in awareness, education, collaboration, and access to specialized knowledge across the systems intended to protect children and support families.
Founded by Layan Bishtawi, who successfully reunited with her children after a complex international parental child abduction case, Shine a Lite Network is grounded in both lived experience and professional expertise. Following reunification, Layan pursued legal education, including a Bachelor of Laws (LLB), while building a career in immigration law and advocating for families affected by international parental child abduction.
Today, Shine a Lite Network brings together lived experience, legal knowledge, education, research, and cross-sector collaboration to strengthen prevention, improve professional practice, and advance more coordinated and effective responses to international parental child abduction across Canada.
Our Priorities
We believe that every child deserves the protection of informed systems, every parent deserves access to reliable guidance, and every professional deserves the knowledge needed to respond effectively.
