This policy brief, prepared by SIWI and Alliance for Global Water Adaptation (AGWA), is a contribution to the discussions and activities at UNFCCC meetings in order to improve understanding and application of gender and water knowledge in the climate arena. The interface between freshwater and oceans captures the vital development and environmental challenges of our time. Coastal communities and Small Island Developing States (SIDS) face increasing socio-economic and environmental risks as a result of climate change. These risks significantly constrain their ability to achieve a sustainable development; and for some, threaten their territorial integrity, economic viability, and survival at large.