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Latest News
  • [ 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
HomePolicy Critique

Policy Critique

*Highlight

Solano Trindade Occupation Celebrates Success While Offering Compelling Critique of Federal Housing Program

By Francis Torres • November 28, 2014

Clique aqui para Português On Friday November 20, members and supporters of the National Movement of Housing Vindication (Movimento Nacional de Luta Pela Moradia, or MNLM) came together to celebrate the early successes of the Solano Trindade occupation […]

#UPPWatch

Debate Reflects on Rio’s Pacifying Police Units

By Ian Waldron • November 22, 2014

In 2008 the Rio City government began the ambitious project of installing Pacifying Police Units (UPPs) in many of its favelas, today almost 40 in total. Six years later the program continues to be highly controversial. […]

#HousingWatch

Gated Communities and Gating Communities: The Future of Urban Development in Rio?

By Caitlin Dixon • October 16, 2014

Clique aqui para Português This post is the first of three RioOnWatch contributions to Blog Action Day 2014 in which bloggers around the world reflect on this year’s theme: Inequality. Check out our series of […]

*Highlight

Despite Questions, Presidential Candidates Lean on Federal Housing Program for Electoral Support

By Sara McTarnaghan • October 3, 2014

Clique aqui para Português In 2009, a new federal housing program, Minha Casa Minha Vida (MCMV) or My Life My House, redirected resources for housing and local development in urban Brazil towards mass-construction of public housing. […]

#Rio2016

Morar Carioca: The Dismantling of a Dream Favela Upgrading Program

By Kate Steiker-Ginzberg • September 10, 2014

Clique aqui para Português This article is a revised version of a paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Association of American Geographers (Tampa, FL. April 2014) An architect recently described the Morar Carioca […]

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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.
A Project of

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
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  • Violations
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    • Government Neglect
  • Organizing
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  • Content Map
    • by Community Contributors
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      • Energy Justice Series
    • Event Reports
    • Video Stories
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  • About
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