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Latest News
  • [ January 29, 2026 ] ‘It’s the Place of Resistance of Our Existence’: Duque de Caxias’ Culture Manor is a Hub for Art, Education and Leisure by Community Contributors
  • [ 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
HomeObservatório de Favelas

Observatório de Favelas

*Highlight

Breaking Down the Discourse of Informality: Are Favelas Really ‘Informal’ Settlements?

By Priscilla Mayrink • Translation by Cheyne Bull • August 29, 2018

Clique aqui para Português Defining a favela is a difficult task. Residents and researchers have identified the many differences that exist both between and within favelas to make us break away from generalizations and common […]

by Community Contributors

ABRASCÃO in Manguinhos, Part 1: A Major Conference on Collective Health [INTERVIEW]

By Edilano Cavalcante • Translation by Sharonya Vadakattu • August 26, 2018

Clique aqui para Português  This is the first part of a two-part series consisting of interviews with two speakers at the 12th Brazilian Conference on Collective Health (ABRASCÃO) in Manguinhos. Read the second part here. Between […]

#CommunityMedia

Favela Media Activism: Counterpublics for Human Rights in Brazil [BOOK REVIEW]

By Sharonya Vadakattu • July 25, 2018

Clique aqui para Português  Armed with an evolving blend of journalism and technology, previously marginalized citizens have newfound capacity to make their voices heard among residents of their communities and among the general public. This […]

#InterventionWatch

Intervention Observatory Report Shows Uptick in Deaths, Military’s Misdirection; Proposes Changes

By Hari Pannum • May 3, 2018

Clique aqui para Português Two months into the (at least) ten-month federal military intervention in Rio de Janeiro, the Intervention Observatory held an event on April 26 to present its first report and launch its new site. […]

#ParticipationWatch

Our Summary of WSF’18: Forum Focuses On ‘Black Lives Matter’ and Pays Tribute to Marielle Franco

By Luisa Fenizola • Translation by Cara D’Rosario • March 23, 2018

Clique aqui para Português The World Social Forum (WSF) is a civil society initiative founded in Porto Alegre, Brazil, in 2001 as an alternative space to the World Economic Forum, in which global economic elites […]

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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

  • Home
    • Highlighted Stories
    • Understanding Rio
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  • Communities
    • Central
    • South Zone
    • North Zone
    • West Zone
    • 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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