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  • [ January 29, 2026 ] ‘It’s the Place of Resistance of Our Existence’: Duque de Caxias’ Culture Manor is a Hub for Art, Education and Leisure by Community Contributors
  • [ January 13, 2026 ] 10 Years Since the Rio Olympics: Vila Autódromo Continues to Resist Gentrification Pressures Amidst New ‘Olympic Barra’ Neighborhood #EvictionsWatch
  • [ January 8, 2026 ] COP30 Civil Society Rundown: Thousands of Communities and Social Movements, Representing Favelas, Indigenous, Quilombola and Other Marginalized Groups Fill Belém During COP30 [IMAGES] *Highlight
  • [ December 31, 2025 ] ‘What We Want Aren’t Bodies on the Ground… It’s Recognition of [Our] People Creating Solutions’: Penha Favelas Hold Composters and Integrated Health Events Highlighting Local Climate Memories *Highlight
  • [ December 26, 2025 ] 2025 Retrospective of Top International Reporting on Rio’s Favelas #MediaWatch
HomeUnderstanding Rio

Understanding Rio

#UPPWatch

Study Finds: Militias Dominate 45% of Rio’s Favelas

By Gustavo Goulart • Translation by Emma Platais • December 7, 2013

For the original in by Gustavo Goulart in Portuguese in O Globo click here. Militias dominate 454 of the 1,001 favelas located in the Rio de Janeiro municipality. This is one of the findings of research carried […]

Policies

Rio at a Crossroads: Cidade Nova and the ‘Porous City’ [BOOK REVIEW]

By Tom Winterbottom • December 6, 2013

Rio’s oldest favela, Morro da Providência, lies just 2km from Cidade Nova, known today mostly as the location of Rio’s City Hall. Soldiers returning in 1897 from the Canudos war in Brazil’s Northeastern state of […]

Policies

North Zone Outrage Over Security Response to Beach Robberies

By Felicity Clarke • November 27, 2013

Clique aqui para Português Many thousands of Rio residents packed the beaches of South Zone last Wednesday November 20, Black Awareness Day and a public holiday in Rio state. However, some sunbathers who squeezed onto […]

Policies

More Than a Quarter of Favela Residents Have Felt Discriminated Against

By Vinícius Lisboa • Translation by Margó Hufstetler • November 6, 2013

For the original by Vinícius Lisboa in Portuguese for Agência Brasil click here.  Around 30% of favela residents in Brazil have suffered prejudice, asserts Favela Data Institute’s first study, “X-Ray of Brazilian Favelas,” released November 4, […]

#GentrificationWatch

Building the Singular City: Land Tenure and Urban Planning in Rio de Janeiro’s Favelas

By Theresa Williamson • September 19, 2013

Clique aqui para Português On August 7, 2013, Catalytic Communities‘ Executive Director and urban planner, Theresa Williamson, gave a presentation on land tenure and urban planning in Rio de Janeiro’s favelas as part of a Casa […]

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RioOnWatch’s anti-racist reporting series won silver in the 2022 inaugural The Anthem Awards, in the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion category among Best Local Awareness Programs.
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About

In May 2010, Catalytic Communities launched what was originally Rio Olympics Neighborhood Watch (hence RioOnWatch), a program to bring visibility to favela community voices in the lead-up to the 2016 Rio Olympics. This news site, RioOnWatch.org, grew into a much-needed and unique reference featuring favela perspectives on the urban transformation of Rio. With diverse and deeply interlinked articles by a mix of community reporters, resident opinions, solidarity reporters, international observers, and academic researchers, we work to engender a more accurate picture of favelas, their contributions to the city, and the potential of favela-led community development in Rio and around the world.

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Awards

Special Thanks

Fundação Heinrich Böll Brasil
World Habitat
Fideicomiso de la Tierra Caño Martín Peña
Pastoral de Favelas
Center for CLT Innovation
Global Land Alliance
Ecocity Builders
Mansueto Institute for Urban Innovation
SDSU Behner Stiefel Center
The Rio Times
Forum Grita Baixada
Beto Paixão Graphic Design
Architecture Museum of Vienna
Yale School of Architecture

  • Home
    • Highlighted Stories
    • Understanding Rio
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  • Communities
    • Central
    • South Zone
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  • Policies
    • Public Security
    • Housing
    • Transport
    • Education
    • Health
    • Sanitation
  • Violations
    • Human Rights
    • Housing Rights
    • Police Violence
    • Government Neglect
  • Organizing
    • Community Organizing
    • Community Solution
    • Resistance
    • Sustainability
    • Participation
    • Protest
    • Culture
    • Responsible Tourism
  • Content Map
    • by Community Contributors
    • by Int’l Observers
    • Series
      • Anti-Racist Series
      • Energy Justice Series
    • Event Reports
    • Video Stories
    • Photo-Essays
    • Interviews/Profiles
    • Research & Analysis
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    • Listicles
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    • Reference
    • Podcasts
    • Translated Articles
  • About
    • Timeline
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    • License
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