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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
Homefavela vs. asphalt

favela vs. asphalt

#ParticipationWatch

Clandestine Electrical Connections in Favelas: Theft or Distributional Justice?

By Douglas Heliodoro • Translation by Gianna Giordani • January 13, 2021

Clique aqui para Português This article is part of a series about energy justice and efficiency in Rio’s favelas. In an article for the journal Energy Research & Social Science—which was the subject of a […]

#CoronavirusWatch

The Hidden Pandemic: Stories Behind Covid-19 Numbers in Favelas, Part 2 [VIDEO]

By Amanda Scofano • Translation by Sharon Gogar • September 10, 2020

Clique aqui para Português This is our most recent article on Covid-19 and its impacts on the favelas, and the second of a two-part piece that analyzes the complexity of the Covid-19 pandemic in Rio’s favelas, […]

*Highlight

Beyond Reform: Imagining the End of Police and Prisons in Brazil and the United States [REFERENCE]

By Chloe Villalobos, Emily Zislis • August 12, 2020

Clique aqui para Português Mass protests in the United States have sparked a debate about how to end police violence globally, even as cases elsewhere are characterized by different historical realities. These differences must be […]

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 […]

#CoronavirusWatch

Coronavirus in the Daily Life of Favelas, Part 4: Vidigal On Its Own, But Not Without Hope

By Rachel Gepp • Translation by Sarah Jacobs • April 23, 2020

Clique aqui para Português This article from Vidigal, in Rio’s South Zone, is the fourth in a series about the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on daily life in the favelas. The series is made […]

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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
    • Highlighted Stories
    • Understanding Rio
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  • Communities
    • Central
    • South Zone
    • North Zone
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    • Greater Rio
  • 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
    • Reviews
    • Listicles
    • Opinion
    • Reference
    • Podcasts
    • Translated Articles
  • About
    • Timeline
    • Our Reporting Policy
    • License
    • Feedback
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