Addressing the climate challenge rests inter alia on the availability of adequate and sustainable climate-smart finance, along with properly designed mechanisms for its smooth provision. Leveraging such mechanisms has the potential to address socio-economic imbalances and political grievances that aggravate communities’ vulnerability and reduce their resilience to the impacts of climate change and extremes. Implementing an inclusive approach – that takes into account the needs, interests and differential vulnerabilities of men and women – in all aspects of project development, including the conceptual phase, programme design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, will ensure resilience, project sustainability and gender equality.