Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are a group of countries in the Caribbean, Pacific and the Atlantic, Indian Ocean, Mediterranean and South China Sea (AIMS) regions, extremely vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and positioned as key stakeholders in climate adaptation financing. Since 2007, the European Commission has been providing support to SIDS through the Global Climate Change Alliance (GCCA) flagship that operates through policy dialogue and effective cooperation in technical and financial terms. This research aims to highlight the interlinkages between gender and climate change in the context of SIDS and to analyse the status of women and existing obstacles for women's empowerment in these countries. This is done reflecting a feminist political ecology perspective that considers the relevance of issues of gendered power relations and social inequalities in climate change processes. The subsequent analysis of gender-responsiveness the GCCA flagship offers practical examples and recommendations on how this scheme can adopt a stronger gender responsive approach to climate adaptation funding in SIDS through gender mainstreaming and it contributes to show how the European Union has the possibility to position itself as a global player committed to address gender equality.Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are a group of countries in the Caribbean, Pacific and the Atlantic, Indian Ocean, Mediterranean and South China Sea (AIMS) regions, extremely vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and positioned as key stakeholders in climate adaptation financing. Since 2007, the European Commission has been providing support to SIDS through the Global Climate Change Alliance (GCCA) flagship that operates through policy dialogue and effective cooperation in technical and financial terms. This research aims to highlight the interlinkages between gender and climate change in the context of SIDS and to analyse the status of women and existing obstacles for women's empowerment in these countries. This is done reflecting a feminist political ecology perspective that considers the relevance of issues of gendered power relations and social inequalities in climate change processes. The subsequent analysis of gender-responsiveness the GCCA flagship offers practical examples and recommendations on how this scheme can adopt a stronger gender responsive approach to climate adaptation funding in SIDS through gender mainstreaming and it contributes to show how the European Union has the possibility to position itself as a global player committed to address gender equality.