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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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#ParticipationWatch

The Global Summit: Rio Residents Join Together to Co-Create a Thriving City

By Thaís Rosa Pinheiro • Translation by Adam Lee • September 8, 2016

Clique aqui para Português From August 23 to 30, Rio de Janeiro hosted the 5th The Global Summit at the Earth Sciences Museum in Urca. The event sought to give voice to the large, diverse people and organizations in attendance–around 150–that […]

#Rio2016

The Sahara Tram: The Soul of Santa Teresa under Attack

By Maristela Grynberg • Translation by Felicity Clarke • August 16, 2016

Clique aqui para Português On August 27, 2011, there was a terrible accident on the Santa Teresa tram, or bonde, in the hilltop neighborhood in Central Rio which resulted in serious injuries and several deaths. Among […]

by Community Contributors

Jacarezinho From a Resident’s View

By Diana Anastácia • Translation by Emma Platais, Lucy McMahon • August 3, 2016

Clique aqui para Português Jacarezinho, a favela in the North Zone of Rio de Janeiro, was founded during the industrialization boom of the 1920s, which offered extensive employment and was the principal reason for the […]

#ParticipationWatch

Knowledge to Create Solutions in Complexo do Alemão: Instituto Raízes em Movimento

By Ava Rose Hoffman • July 11, 2016

Clique aqui para Português Instituto Raízes em Movimento (Roots in Movement Institute) is a community-based NGO in Complexo do Alemão in the North Zone of Rio de Janeiro focused on human rights and local social, cultural and human development. Frequently partnering with other […]

Favela Culture

Caixa de Surpresa: A Center of Cultural Production in Rio’s West Zone

By Lovinia Reynolds • February 11, 2016

Clique aqui para Português A community organization in the West Zone neighborhood of Bangu is working with young people, children and families to combine cultural events, classes and activities and citizenship discussions and put West Zone […]

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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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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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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

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  • Violations
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    • Police Violence
    • Government Neglect
  • Organizing
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  • Content Map
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