The findings provide information for policy makers seeking to build civil society and democratic institutions in developing countries . The work is also frequently used by governments around the world , scholars , students , journalists and international organizations and institutions such as the World Bank and the United Nations ( UNDP and UN-Habitat ) . Data from the World Values Survey have ( for example ) been used to better understand the motivations behind events such as the Arab Spring , the 2005 French civil unrest , the Rwandan genocide in 1994 and the Yugoslav wars and political upheaval in the 1990s . Romano Prodi , former Prime Minister of Italy and the tenth President of the European Commission , said about WVS work : The growing globalization of the world makes it increasingly important to understand ... diversity . People with varying beliefs and values can live together and work together productively , but for this to happen it is crucial to understand and appreciate their distinctive worldviews . The WVS has over the years demonstrated that people 's beliefs play a key role in economic development , the emergence and flourishing of democratic institutions , the rise of gender equality , and the extent to which societies have effective government
Rwandan genocide
Rwandan genocide
World Values Survey