The Miss World pageant is the oldest surviving major international beauty pageant. It was created in the United Kingdom by Eric Morley in 1951. Since his death in 2000, Morley's wife, Julia Morley, co-chairs the pageant. This pageant is one of the most publicised beauty contests in the world with over 2 billion viewers.

In the 1980s, the pageant repositioned itself with the slogan “Beauty With a Purpose”, with added tests of intelligence and personality. Miss World is franchised in more than 120 countries and has raised over 500 million for children charities around the globe.

In the year preceding the global finals, each delegate must win her national title or a specially designated Miss World national preliminary. Miss World's national preliminaries are conducted by their licence-holders, who hold the franchise to use the "Miss World" name in their country. The annual final is typically a month long event, with several preliminary galas, dinners, balls and activities, culminating in a globally telecast final show in which the field is narrowed to between 15–20 delegates.

The winner spends a year travelling to represent the Miss World Organization and its various causes.