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Latest News
  • [ December 4, 2025 ] Portrait of a Centenary-Old Favela of Stilt Houses: Belém’s Vila da Barca Resists, Organizes and Fights for Sanitation and Adequate Housing #HousingWatch
  • [ November 30, 2025 ] The Story of Dona Pascoalina, Midwife and Healer of Morro do Borel by Community Contributors
  • [ November 15, 2025 ] ‘There’s No Such Thing as Normal After a Massacre’: One Week After Police Mega-Operation Kills 121 People, Residents From Complexos do Alemão and Penha Speak Out #UPPWatch
  • [ November 13, 2025 ] ‘Human Beings Forget That They Are Nature’: Favelas Teach the Path to the Future at the 2nd Favela Sustainability Festival Civil Society
  • [ November 12, 2025 ] Food Sovereignty and Culinary Heritage Connect with Fight for Climate Justice at the 2nd Sustainable Favela Festival Civil Society
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*Highlight

Looking at the Past Is Ancestral Technology: How Does Memory Strengthen the Future of Black Women?

By Gabriela Anastacia • Translation by Aaron Scott • January 17, 2022

Clique aqui para Português This article is the latest contribution to our year-long reporting project, “Rooting Anti-Racism in the Favelas: Deconstructing Social Narratives About Racism in Rio de Janeiro.” Follow our Rooting Anti-Racism in the Favelas […]

Data Favela Study: The fight of 14 million favelados in the fight against coronavirus: Data Favela
#CoronavirusWatch

Data Favela Study: 80% of Favela Families Are Living on Less than Half of Their Pre-Pandemic Income

By Thomas Maggiola • July 3, 2020

Clique aqui para Português This is our latest article on Covid-19 as it impacts Rio de Janeiro’s favelas. A new study from the Data Favela research institute, a partnership between the Central Única das Favelas […]

Carlos Augusto Jacob plays guitar on his rooftop on the Tabajaras hill. Photo: Gabriel de Paiva / Agência O Globo
#CoronavirusWatch

Favela Residents, Confined to Homes, Use Rooftops as Offices and Even Gyms

By Geraldo Ribeiro • Translation by Cormac Whitney Low • April 12, 2020

Clique aqui para Português For the original article in Portuguese by Geraldo Ribeiro published in Extra click here. This is our latest article on the new coronavirus as it impacts Rio de Janeiro’s favelas and in partnership […]

*Highlight

Childhood and Collective Learning in the Streets of a Rio Favela

By Gizele Martins • Translation by Leila Lak • September 10, 2019

Clique aqui para Português For the original article in Portuguese by Gizele Martins published in Portal Aprendiz click here. The streets shaped my childhood more than any other place. The streets are a major communal […]

*Highlight

Vai na Web: Favela Empowerment Through Coding in Prazeres and Alemão [PROFILE]

By Ben Bildsten • July 15, 2019

Clique aqui para Português Initiative: Vai na Web (“Get Online”) Contact: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Email Year Founded: 2017 Community: Morro dos Prazeres (Central Rio) and Complexo do Alemão (North Zone) Mission: To promote community improvement through […]

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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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10 Years! Check Out Our Story:

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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  • Communities
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    • 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
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    • Research & Analysis
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    • Listicles
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