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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
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HomeDrug Traffic

Drug Traffic

*Highlight

‘My Father Entered the Drug Trade So I Could Become a Lawyer’ [OPINION]

By Joel Luiz Costa • Translation by Sarah Jacobs • January 17, 2019

Clique aqui para Português For the original article in Portuguese by Joel Luiz Costa published by The Intercept Brasil click here. I was born in Jacarezinho, a favela in Rio’s North Zone, and raised there by […]

#ParticipationWatch

‘Good Citizens’ Want Police to Shoot to Kill, Says Rio Governor-Elect Wilson Witzel [INTERVIEW]

By Gabriela Goulart, Luiz Ernesto Magalhães, Selma Schmidt • Translation by Jiselle Steele • November 27, 2018

Clique aqui para Português For the original article in Portuguese by Gabriela Goulart, Luiz Ernesto Magalhães, and Selma Schmidt published by O Globo click here. The server will be monitored. The warning is from Rio de Janeiro […]

#InterventionWatch

Acts of Resistance, Part 1: Dictatorship in Democracy—Military Intervention in Rio Brings Increase in Favela Exterminations

By Gizele Martins, Jessica Santos • November 19, 2018

Clique aqui para Português For the original article in Portuguese published by the Institute of Alternative Policies for the Southern Cone (PACS) on Medium, click here. Reporting by Gizele Martins and Jessica Santos in partnership with the […]

Willian's mother. Photo by Ian de Farias
#UPPWatch

Two Months After Arrest, Favela Unites to Demand Release of Wrongfully Detained Youth

By Tyler Strobl • October 16, 2018

Clique aqui para Português  On Tuesday, October, 9, around 150 people gathered at the entrance of Morro dos Prazeres favela in Central Rio to protest the wrongful detention of Willian Preciliano Bezerra da Silva. Two months […]

#UPPWatch

Vidigal Association Hosts Panel on Decriminalizing Drugs [VIDEO]

By Sabrina Magalhães • Translation by Cara D’Rosario • June 19, 2018

Clique aqui para Português On Thursday, June 7, the “Fala Vidigal” debate series resumed with the panel discussion, “DRUGS: A Lost War,” at Vidigal‘s Residents Association. The debate featured six speakers, and the main argument put […]

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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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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
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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
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