The 25th anniversary of the children and armed conflict (CAAC) mandate in 2021 marked a milestone in protecting children from the harms of war. In its statement, whilst noting the invaluable progress the CAAC mandate has made to date, Watchlist calls on stakeholders to continue to build upon this progress in three key ways: defending and upholding existing protection frameworks; strengthening efforts to prevent conflict before it begins; and promoting accountability for and to children. Watchlist’s #RaiseYourRed campaign aimed to educate the broader public about the recruitment and use of children in armed conflict and to call on policymakers to take action to end and prevent this grave violation of children’s rights.