I'd rather be dealt with as a person than a persona.

Women in Jordan are participating in all aspects of civil as well as political life - as female judges, parliamentarians, businesswomen. And the evolution will continue. This is not something that happens overnight.

It is all too easy to draw conclusions and make sweeping judgments about millions of Muslim women based on fleeting television images. That is not right.

There are so many misperceptions and stereotypes out there that I would love to see clarified one day.

A woman caring for her children; a woman striving to excel in the private sector; a woman partnering with her neighbors to make their street safer; a woman running for office to improve her country - they all have something to offer, and the more our societies empower women, the more we receive in return.

I'm amazed by the misconceptions about Muslim women and the Arab world that I hear, and that really does hurt me.

To achieve a lasting peace in the Middle East takes guts, not guns.