Who We Are
Shine a Lite Network is a Canadian nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing prevention, response, and reunification outcomes in international parental child abduction cases involving children taken from Canada.
Our work is practice-informed, combining legal understanding, professional experience, and real-world case insight to strengthen institutional responses and improve outcomes for children and families.
A society where children are protected from international parental child abduction through strong safeguards mechanisms, coordinated institutional responses, and effective pathways that support left-behind parents in the safe and timely return of their children
Our Vision
Our Mission
Shine a Lite advances prevention, response, and reunification outcomes in international parental child abduction through:
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Practice-informed research and knowledge mobilization
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Professional education and capacity building
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Public education and prevention initiatives
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Policy development and systems improvement
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Cross-sector collaboration and stakeholder engagement
How We Work
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Help families
We provide support, guidance and information to left-behind parents
Collaborate with professionals
We work with professionals to strengthen responses and improve outcomes for children and families
Partner with organizations and institutions
Build partnerships to expand education, advocacy, and access to resources.
Engaging Parents in Advisory Committee
we bring together parents with lived experience. Their perspectives help shape our programs, educational resources, advocacy initiatives, and strategic direction, ensuring the voices of affected families remain at the heart of our work.
Professional Engagements
Shine a Lite provides professional presentations, workshops, and educational initiatives designed to increase awareness, strengthen understanding, and support more informed responses to international parental child abduction.
Our work brings together lived experience, legal knowledge, professional practice, and systemic perspectives to support professionals and organizations working to protect children and improve outcomes for families.
Areas of Focus
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International parental child abduction: human, legal, and systemic perspectives
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Prevention, response, and reunification challenges
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Cross-border legal and institutional complexities
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Child-centered and informed professional responses
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Collaboration among legal, social, government, and child-serving sectors
Recent and Upcoming Engagements
UPCOMING
Shine a Lite Network Seeks Leave to Intervene Before the Supreme Court of Canada
Co-presenter at the County of Carlton Law Association's 35th Annual Family Law Conference
Keynote speaker at the 18th Annual AFCC-O Conference on Families on the Move in October 2026
Meet Our Founder
Shine a Lite Network was founded and is chaired by Layan Bishtawi, who brings together academic training, legal education, professional experience, leadership, and lived experience in the field of international parental child abduction.
Layan holds a Bachelor’s degree from McGill University and a Master’s degree in Clinical Research Administration. She completed her Paralegal diploma and developed experience in legal research, case preparation, and advocacy. She later expanded her legal expertise through her work in immigration law, managing complex cross-border immigration files and supporting individuals and families navigating challenging legal processes involving multiple jurisdictions.
Layan’s commitment to this work was shaped by her own experience navigating a complex international parental child abduction case involving the removal of her children from Canada and the legal and institutional challenges that followed. This experience provided firsthand insight into the barriers families face when navigating multiple jurisdictions, complex legal processes, and fragmented systems.
Following reunification with her children, Layan continued to build her legal and professional expertise while pursuing her Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) through the University of London. Through her work in immigration law, advocacy, and education, she has developed a practice-informed understanding of the challenges faced by families involved in cross-border legal matters.
As Chair of Shine a Lite Network, Layan leads initiatives focused on education, advocacy, research, and collaboration to strengthen responses to international parental child abduction. She has been invited to present at legal conferences and professional forums, sharing insights on systemic challenges, family experiences, and opportunities to improve cross-border responses.
Through Shine a Lite Network, Layan is committed to advancing awareness, supporting informed professional practice, and promoting more coordinated, effective, and child-centered responses among legal professionals, institutions, and government stakeholders.
