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  • [ 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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police corruption

#UPPWatch

Protesters Demand Freedom for Rafael Braga, Symbol of Brazil’s Criminalization of Poverty

By Brian McNamara • May 11, 2017

Clique aqui para Português On Thursday May 4, demonstrators gathered outside the Rio de Janeiro State Justice Tribunal to protest the conviction of Rafael Braga, who on April 20 was sentenced to 11 years in […]

#LegacyWatch

It’s Absurd! Cable Car Stations Will Become Police Bases? [TRANSCRIPTION]

By Raull Santiago • Translation by Juliana Ritter • April 27, 2017

Clique aqui para Português The text below is a transcription of Raull Santiago’s live broadcast on Facebook on March 29, 2017 at 12:15pm. Santiago was featured in The New York Times Magazine in 2015. Good afternoon […]

#UPPWatch

In Rio, the Police that Most Kill Are Also Those that Most Die

By Mariá Martín • Translation by Adam Lee • April 24, 2017

Clique aqui para Português For the original article by Mariá Martín in Portuguese published by El País click here. Rio de Janeiro buries one police officer every other day. A report shows lack of training, corruption and precarious […]

Armed police officer and resident of Parque Proletário, in the Complexo da Penha (Tânia Rêgo/Agência Brasil)
#LegacyWatch

Pacifying Police Units: Eight Years Later

By Bibiana Maia, Saulo Pereira Guimarães • Translation by Adam Lee • January 8, 2017

Clique aqui para Português For the original article by Saulo Pereira Guitarães and Bibiana Maia in Portuguese published in Vozerio click here. The first Pacifying Police Unit (UPP) was launched at the end of 2008, in Santa Marta, […]

#UPPWatch

Amnesty International Criticizes Terms To Substitute ‘Autos de Resistência’

By Felipe Pontes • Translation by Tamara Katoni • January 11, 2016

Clique aqui para Português For the original in Portuguese published by EBC Agência Brasil click here. On January 5 Amnesty International criticized the new nomenclature established by the Federal and Civil Police to substitute terms such as […]

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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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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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    • Police Violence
    • Government Neglect
  • Organizing
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  • Content Map
    • by Community Contributors
    • by Int’l Observers
    • Series
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      • Energy Justice Series
    • Event Reports
    • Video Stories
    • Photo-Essays
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