Billie de Haas

Billie de Haas is a Researcher at the Urban and Regional Studies Institute within the Faculty of Spatial Sciences at the University of Groningen. Her work spans population dynamics, reproductive health, and qualitative demography with significant fieldwork in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Netherlands, contributing directly to UN Sustainable Development Goals for health and gender equality.

Her core research interests include:

• Demography and Population Studies
• Fertility Decision-Making Processes
• Reproductive Autonomy
• Newborn and Neonatal Care Practices
• Qualitative Research Methods in Social Sciences
• Impact of Global Crises on Vulnerable Populations

Recent publications reveal a strong focus on Sub-Saharan Africa through mixed-method approaches including systematic reviews and observational studies. Her work consistently addresses gaps in reproductive health services and socio-cultural determinants of fertility and newborn care, with methodological emphasis on intersectionality and layered vulnerability frameworks.

Dr. de Haas actively supervises PhD students and coordinated the Meaningful Mobility project (2019-2024) examining movement in later life. She organizes academic initiatives like the Qualitative Demography Network Thinkery and facilitates virtual exchange programs in Population Studies.

Her collaborative network spans Uganda, Ghana, and European institutions, with frequent media engagement through 17 press contributions discussing fertility decision-making tools like her card game Het Kinderspel.