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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
  • [ 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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#Rio2016

Olympic Projects and Destruction: Ramos Left Without Public Spaces, Sidewalks, Trees and More

By Hugo Costa • Translation by Christopher Owens • July 22, 2016

Clique aqui para Português The TransCarioca Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line–an Olympic Project inaugurated two years ago–has left a trail of destruction and abandonment in the traditional neighborhood of Ramos in the Leopoldina Zone in the North […]

*Highlight

Vila Laboriaux Repurposes Space for a New Community Square [IMAGES]

By David Morsi, Nia McAllister • July 21, 2016

Clique aqui para Português On Saturday July 16, over 150 residents and volunteers gathered in Vila Laboriaux to celebrate the completion of the four week project to create a new public square in the community. Located at 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 […]

#HousingWatch

An Island in Your Own City: Life in Gated Communities in Barra da Tijuca

By Christian Kuitert • June 27, 2016

Clique aqui para Português The gated community is a well-known phenomenon across the Americas. The model first gained popularity in the United States before South American countries adopted this architectural style in the 1970s. Real estate developers created and marketed […]

#EvictionsWatch

A Tale of Two Plans: A Critique of Mayor Paes’ Plan for Vila Autódromo

By Cerianne Robertson, Stephanie Reist • March 17, 2016

Clique aqui para Português On Tuesday, March 8, Mayor Eduardo Paes finally released his plan for the community of Vila Autódromo, adjacent to the Olympic Park. The absence of a public City plan until that point […]

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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
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  • Communities
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    • Greater Rio
  • Policies
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    • 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
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    • Research & Analysis
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    • Listicles
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    • Podcasts
    • Translated Articles
  • About
    • Timeline
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