The Report on the World Social Situation (RWSS) is prepared on a biennial basis by the Division for Social Policy and Development of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA).

Over the years, the Report has served as a background document for discussion and policy analysis of socio-economic matters at the intergovernmental level, and has aimed at contributing to the identification of emerging social trends of international concern and to the analysis of relationships among major development issues which have both international and national dimensions.

In its resolution A/RES/56/177 | English | French | Spanish | Chinese | Arabic | Russian | of 15 December 2001, the United Nations General Assembly requested the Secretary-General to change the periodicity of the Reports on the World Social Situation from a four-year cycle to a two-year cycle.

2013 Report on the World Social Situation