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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
Homedeforestation

deforestation

#CoronavirusWatch

The Fight Against Coronavirus in Brazil’s Indigenous Northern Villages #Brazils Part 2—North

By Ariel Bentes • Translation by Mikayla Ribeiro • April 1, 2021

Clique aqui para Português This is the second article in a five-part series, published in Portuguese by favela-based online magazine Favela em Pauta and titled “Brazils: Stories of the Periphery in the Pandemic.” Each essay […]

Realengo residents protest against the occupation of the place with condominiums. Photo by: Roberto Moreyra/Roberto Moreyra
#ParticipationWatch

After Long Dispute, Green Space Project ‘100% Realengo Park’ is Approved

By Pilar Boyero • February 25, 2021

Clique aqui para Português This is our most recent article in a series created in partnership with the Behner Stiefel Center for Brazilian Studies at San Diego State University, to produce articles for the Digital Brazil Project on human rights and […]

Policies

Beware of Poorly Vetted ‘Sustainability Certifications’: Brazil’s Palm Oil Industry

By Rachel Mucha • April 12, 2019

Clique aqui para Português Here on RioOnWatch we regularly report on land rights struggles in Rio de Janeiro’s favelas. With this focus in mind, on occasion we may publish articles such as this one, highlighting […]

#HousingWatch

Rio City Council Launches Inquiry on Flooding and Accountability for Disaster Prevention

By Rachel Mucha • April 2, 2019

Clique aqui para Português In the aftermath of the strong winds, torrential rain, flash flooding and landslides that killed seven people and left a trail of destruction and damage in favelas such as Rocinha, Vidigal, Complexo do Alemão, […]

*Highlight

4th Sustainable Favela Exchange: The ‘Struggle, Strength, Resistance’ of Quilombo do Camorim [IMAGES]

By Jessica Depies • December 19, 2018

Clique aqui para Português The Sustainable Favela Network (SFN) is a project of Catalytic Communities (CatComm)* designed to build solidarity networks, bring visibility, and develop joint actions to support the expansion of community-based initiatives that strengthen environmental sustainability and […]

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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.

Contact & Support

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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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  • Violations
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    • Government Neglect
  • Organizing
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    • Participation
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  • Content Map
    • by Community Contributors
    • by Int’l Observers
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      • Energy Justice Series
    • Event Reports
    • Video Stories
    • Photo-Essays
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    • Research & Analysis
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  • About
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