Gender Assessment FP287:Novastar Ventures Africa People and Planet Fund III (NV III) Kenya, Nigeria, Egypt, South Africa, Rwanda

The report assesses gender disparities across five African nations to inform the investment strategy of the $200m Novastar Ventures Africa People and Planet Fund III (NV III). It identifies pervasive gender-based violence, gaps in STEM education, and the disproportionate impact of climate change on women in agriculture and informal employment. To address these, NV III commits to the 2x Criteria, targeting specific gender quotas for employees, management, consumers, and suppliers within its portfolio companies, while implementing a Gender Lens Investment Policy.

• Women in the target countries face systemic disparities in labor force participation, quality of employment, financial inclusion, and leadership representation, which NV III will address through targets for female employees and management at both the fund and portfolio levels.
• Gender-based violence (GBV) is widespread across all assessed countries, characterized by high rates of intimate partner violence and economic abuse, leading NV III to require portfolio companies to implement gender-sensitive workplace policies.
• Climate change disproportionately affects women, particularly those working in agriculture and informal employment, which reduces their adaptive capacity and increases their vulnerability.
• While legal and policy frameworks for gender equality exist in the target countries, their effectiveness is often undermined by weak implementation, insufficient funding, and patriarchal social norms.
• Female entrepreneurship is growing but remains limited by restricted access to training, market opportunities, and capital, prompting NV III to adopt a Gender Lens Investment Policy.
• NV III aims for alignment with the 2x Criteria, targeting that 30% of portfolio companies at origination meet these criteria, while the fund itself will meet Basic 2X ESG, Governance, and Employment Criteria.
• NV III has set specific gender targets for its portfolio companies to improve upon previous fund performance, including 45% female employees, 30% women in leadership/management, 45% female consumers, 40% female suppliers, and 30% female board representation.

APA

Green Climate Fund (2025). Gender Assessment FP287:Novastar Ventures Africa People and Planet Fund III (NV III) Kenya, Nigeria, Egypt, South Africa, Rwanda. https://www.greenclimate.fund/sites/default/files/document/fp287-gender-assessment.pdf

Chicago

Green Climate Fund. Gender Assessment FP287:Novastar Ventures Africa People and Planet Fund III (NV III) Kenya, Nigeria, Egypt, South Africa, Rwanda. 2025. https://www.greenclimate.fund/sites/default/files/document/fp287-gender-assessment.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Green Climate Fund |title=Gender Assessment FP287:Novastar Ventures Africa People and Planet Fund III (NV III) Kenya, Nigeria, Egypt, South Africa, Rwanda |date=27 October 2025 |url=https://www.greenclimate.fund/sites/default/files/document/fp287-gender-assessment.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{greenclimatefund2025gender, author = {{Green Climate Fund}}, title = {{Gender Assessment FP287:Novastar Ventures Africa People and Planet Fund III (NV III) Kenya, Nigeria, Egypt, South Africa, Rwanda}}, institution = {Green Climate Fund}, year = {2025}, month = oct, url = {https://www.greenclimate.fund/sites/default/files/document/fp287-gender-assessment.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }