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Zaheera is a Senior Lecturer in Midwifery, Co-Chair for the Race Equality Network and Theme Lead Community (HLS Faculty EDI Commitee) with more than 20 years of experience in academia, midwifery practice and research. Her academic and research expertise and interests are varied and include race disparities in maternal and infant health, migration and birth and the decolonisation of midwifery education.
In 2010, she completed her PhD entitled ‘Zenana: the birth stories of migrant women’ at the Mary Seacole Research Centre and has since co-supervised research students with colleagues at the Centre for Reproduction Research. She have been involved in a number of national and international research projects and is currently working on projects with researchers from the Centre for Reproduction Research and the Stephen Lawrence Research Centre at Âéw¶¹´«Ã½.
Passionate about ensuring equity within midwifery education and practice, she has published ground breaking work around skin assessment of mothers, birthing people and neonates, receiving widespread local, national and international interest. The latter includes the Royal College of Midwives who invited her to their steering group and she has since written a chapter for their ‘Decolonising Midwifery Education Toolkit’, which continues to have national impact. In 2024, she was shortlisted for the Royal College of Midwives Race Matters Unsung Hero Award in the Midwife or Higher Education Institution Staff category.

Centre for Reproduction Research (CRR)

Social Sciences Research and Innovation Institute

Bower, H, Bekoe, J, Chapman, M, Essat, Z, Gregory, B, Okiki, C, Palmer, S. and Patel, P. (2025) Decolonising Midwifery Education Toolkit. MIDIRS: Midwifery Digest 35(6): 19-25.

Royal College of Midwives (2023) Decolonising Midwifery Education Toolkit. RCM: London.

Essat, Z, Gregory, B, Ménage D. and Raynor M. (2023) Decolonising Midwifery Education: How ‘colour aware’ are midwives in assessing women and neonates with darker skin tones? Centre for Reproduction Research Blog. Nov 29.

Raynor M, Essat Z, Ménage D, Chapman M, Gregory B. (2021) Decolonising midwifery education part 1: how colour aware are you when assessing women with darker skin tones in midwifery practice? Practising Midwife 24(6): 36-43.

Ménage D, Chapman M, Raynor M, Essat Z, Wells R. (2021) Decolonising midwifery education part two: neonatal assessment. Practising Midwife 24(6): 44-49.

Essat, Z. (2011) Supporting women from a range of ethnic groups In, Williams, J. (Ed.) Midwifery Survival Guide: Common Questions and Answers for the Newly Qualified Midwife Quay Books: London.

Essat, Z. (2010) Zenana: The Birth Stories of Migrant Women in Britain. PhD Thesis (unpublished) Âéw¶¹´«Ã½ Leicester.

Hamilton, M. and Essat, Z. (2008) Minority ethnic users’ experiences and expectations of nursing care. Journal of Research in Nursing March 13: 102-110.

Johnson, M.R.D, Hamilton, P.M. and Essat, Z. (2008) ‘Be nice – smile as you do with everyone’ Learning Multicultural nursing in Leicester. Seacole Research Paper 2 Leicester: Mary Seacole Research Centre.

Essat, Z. (2006) “Migrant Women’s Birth Stories” In, Milnes, K, Horrocks, C, Kelly, N, Roberts, B. and Robinson, D. (Ed.) Narrative, Memory & Knowledge: Representations, Aesthetics, Contexts University of Huddersfield: Huddersfield.

Bolton, E, Essat, Z. and Jones, K. (2005) “The Verismo of the Quotidian: A Biographic Narrative Interpretive Approach to Two Diverse Research Topic” In, Kelly, N, Horrocks, C, Milnes, K, Roberts, B. and Robinson, D. (Ed.) Narrative, Memory and Everyday Life University of Huddersfield: Huddersfield.

Essat, Z. (2010) Zenana: The Birth Stories of Migrant Women in Britain. PhD Thesis (unpublished) Âéw¶¹´«Ã½ Leicester.

Hamilton, M. and Essat, Z. (2008) Minority ethnic users’ experiences and expectations of nursing care. Journal of Research in Nursing March 13: 102-110.

Johnson, M.R.D, Hamilton, P.M. and Essat, Z. (2008) ‘Be nice – smile as you do with everyone’ Learning Multicultural nursing in Leicester. Seacole Research Paper 2 Leicester: Mary Seacole Research Centre.

• Midwifery, Maternity Care
• Migration and Birth
• Race, Ethnicity, Culture and Diversity
• Race Disparities in Maternity Care
• Inequalities in Healthcare and Midwifery Education
• Decolonisation and Midwifery Education
• Qualitative Research Methods
• Narrative Inquiry

Midwifery and Maternity Care

Inequity in health and healthcare

Research Methods

SFHEA, Âéw¶¹´«Ã½. 2025.

PGCLTHE with FHEA, Distinction- Âéw¶¹´«Ã½. 2020.

PhD- Mary Seacole Research Centre, Âéw¶¹´«Ã½. 2010.

BSc (Hons) Midwifery. 1^st Class Honours- Âéw¶¹´«Ã½. 2001.

BSc (Hons) Midwifery

Female Genital Mutilation for BSc (Hons) Paramedicine 

PhD studentship, Âéw¶¹´«Ã½. 2002

Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA), 2020

Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA), 2025

Member. Royal College of Midwives, Decolonising Midwifery Education. (2022-)

Member, NHS England, National Senior Ethnic Minority Midwifery Expert Reference Group (2022-)

 

Global Majority Student Midwife Group, Âéw¶¹´«Ã½. (2023-)

Decolonising Midwifery Education Working Group, Âéw¶¹´«Ã½. (2023-).

National Decolonising Midwifery Education Network (2024-).

Decolonisation in Higher Education Network (2025-). 

Improvement of Recruitment of South Asian People into Nursing Project Steering Group, University of Leeds. (2004-2007).

2024- Present: Centre for Reproduction Research, Âéw¶¹´«Ã½.

2021- Present: Stephen Lawrence Research Centre and Centre for Reproduction Research, Âéw¶¹´«Ã½.

2017-2018: Diabetes Research Centre, Leicester.

2012-2014: BRECAD-Med (Breast Cancer and Adherence to Medication) Project- Âéw¶¹´«Ã½, Leicester.

2011: European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights. Mary Seacole Research Centre, Âéw¶¹´«Ã½.

2002-2008: Evaluating Multicultural Nursing Project- Âéw¶¹´«Ã½, Leicester.

 

Upcoming March 2026: Essential Educator Seminar- Supporting the Future of Midwifery Education. All4Maternity.

Essat, Z. (2026). Strengthening support for global majority students.

11th November, 2026: Midwifery Education: Education Future Midwives’ Conference. 

Essat, Z. and Weis, C. (2025). Re-imagining Research Practices. 

24^th December 2023:  Professional Standards Authority.

Essat, Z. and Bower. What is happening now- actions underway to address healthcare inequalities and challenges.

9^th November 2023: Council of Deans of Health.

Essat, Z, Bower, H, Okiki, C, Chapman, C, Palmer, S, McLaughlin, S. and Beckoe, J. Decolonising Midwifery Education.

8^th November 2023: Reimagining Higher Education: Journeys of Decolonising. De Montfort University, Leicester.

Essat, Z, Gregory, B and Bower, H. Decolonising Midwifery Education.

8^th November 2023: Reimagining Higher Education: Journeys of Decolonising. De Montfort University, Leicester.

Essat, Z, Gregory, B and Bower, H. Poster Presentation: Decolonising Midwifery Education.

12^th October 2023: Janamapp Launch Event, Leicester.

Essat, Z. Decolonising Midwifery Education.

27^th July 2022: Royal College of Midwives Student Midwifery Forum.

Essat, Z. Midwives as Colleagues, Scholars and Leaders.

11^th May 2022: Decolonising Âéw¶¹´«Ã½: trips, tricks and takeaways. De Montfort University, Leicester.

Essat, Z, Gregory, B and Menage, D. Decolonising Midwifery Education.

8^th July 2020: Decolonising Âéw¶¹´«Ã½ Project Podcast. De Montfort University, Leicester.

Essat, Z. and Raynor, M. How do we address race and racism in the classroom?

October 2006: Midwifery Research Conference. Trinity College, Dublin.

Essat, Z. Zenana: The Birth Stories of Migrant Women.                          

April 2006: Narrative, Memory & Knowledge: Representations, Aesthetics, Contexts Conference, University of Huddersfield.

Essat, Z. Migrant Women’s Birth Stories.

April 2005: Narrative, Memory & Knowledge: Representations, Aesthetics, Contexts Conference, University of Huddersfield.

Essat, Z. The Verismo of the Quotidian: A Biographic Narrative Interpretive Approach to Two Diverse Research Topic.

Sarah Thrower: Navigating the intersection of medical and reproductive healthcare in the UK: women’s lived experiences of gestational cancer. 2^nd Supervisor.