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Latest News
  • [ 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
  • [ December 24, 2025 ] ‘No One in Terra Firme Will Sleep Hungry Today!’ Amid Adversity, Belém Favela Initiatives Distribute 2,200 Meals During COP30 With Support from the People’s Summit Solidarity Kitchen *Highlight
Homequalities of informality

qualities of informality

#HousingWatch

‘Of Cities and Slums’: Working Paper Analyzes Role of Favelas in Process of Urbanization [REVIEW]

By Alex Besser • December 20, 2018

How should policymakers view the role of favelas in urban development? What policies can they enact to improve them? These are the core research questions for Alexander Monge-Naranjo, Pedro Cavalcanti Ferreira, and Luciene Torres de […]

#HousingWatch

A Bridge Too Far? Land Titling For What? Debates on Favelas in Rio Speak Very Different Languages

By Ezra Spira-Cohen • September 24, 2018

Clique aqui para Português Two events held on Tuesday, September 18 demonstrated an enormous divide between groups working on issues related to favelas and favela residents in Rio de Janeiro. Both events had more than […]

*Highlight

Campaign Calls on UNESCO to Recognize Favelas as World Heritage [VIDEO]

By Luisa Fenizola • Translation by Cerianne Robertson • June 23, 2018

Clique aqui para Português The Chilean non-governmental organization committed to improving housing in informal settlements, TECHO, is today active in 19 countries across Latin America. In Brazil, where it is known as TETO, the NGO works […]

Favela Qualities

‘What About the People?’ and Sustainable Community Development in Rio, Part 1—Defining Resilience [BOOK REVIEW]

By Kimberly Farnham, Patricia Basile • June 19, 2018

Clique aqui para Português This is the first article in a two-part series reviewing the book ‘Social Sustainability, Climate Resilience and Community-Based Urban Development: What About the People?‘ by Cathy Baldwin (University of Oxford) and […]

#LegacyWatch

Urbanist on Favelas Writes About Vila Autódromo in Book About the Olympics

By Lucas Altino, Theresa Williamson • Translation by Cheyne Bull • June 1, 2018

Clique aqui para Português Catalytic Communities* Executive Director Theresa Williamson was interviewed by O Globo about her chapter entitled, ‘Not Everyone Has a Price: How the Small Favela of Vila Autódromo’s Fight Opened a Path […]

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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
    • 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
  • For Journos
  • Donate

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