Arzu Kutucu Ozenen is founder and Chairperson of Yesil Valiz Association for Responsible Tourism, anassociation promoting responsible tourism in Turkey. Arzu graduated in law from Ankara University.

Having been interested in community development since university years, she has participated in several civil society activities. With the intention to be a part of change for a better future for all, she focused on educational opportunities for the disadvantaged groups. Rural young women, who were far more disadvantaged than any other group, became the top priority in her work. Seeing the growing interest in rural tourism as a window of opportunity for women, Arzu has worked with several village women’s associations in areas of skills development, entrepreneurship, local value chains and informed political participation which will enable women to ask for more. In order to take this involvement to the academic level, she resumed her studies and is taking an MSc in Responsible Tourism from Manchester Metropolitan University.

In January 2016 Arzu will begin work with villagers to integrate gender into tourism value chains. Working with men and women, the aim is to ensure that women are an indispensable part of the whole rural tourism value chain.