Maartje van Eerd (PhD Leiden University, MA Human Geography, University of Amsterdam) is an international housing and social development expert with extensive experience as researcher, trainer and advisor on social development issues and housing. She has conducted extensive research on resettlement projects, forced evictions, acquisition, expropriation and compensation, and the role of NGOs and CBOs in developing alternatives to forced evictions.

She has developed, coordinated and facilitated several accredited courses on housing rights, forced evictions and alternatives for NGOs, CBOs and local government globally (Africa, Asia, Latin America, Europe including Eastern Europe). She has developed a training course on gender and tenure security for local NGOs in East Africa, and several trainings on alternatives to forced evictions.

She has managed and coordinated accredited academic courses on housing and urban development dealing with informal settlements, adaptive and proactive approaches to slums, in which she is currently lecturing, and managing. She has extensive knowledge and experience on research methodologies.

She has considerable experience in lecturing in various countries, cultures, multi-stakeholder groups, in academic courses and training courses for NGOs and CBOs and policymakers.