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  • [ 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
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Electricity is not a Social Right Cover Art
by Community Contributors

In Brazil, Electricity Is Not a Social Right

By Michel Silva • Translation by Clau Guimarães • June 18, 2021

Clique aqui para Português This article is part of a series on energy justice and efficiency in Rio’s favelas. Months ago, residents of Rio de Janeiro’s largest favela, Rocinha, created a WhatsApp group to denounce power […]

Artwork by Rodrigo Binarts
*Highlight

Energy Insecurity in São Gonçalo’s Salgueiro Favela Complex [OPINION]

By Gabriel dos Santos Pereira Lima • Translation by Gianna Giordani • January 20, 2021

Clique aqui para Português This article recounts the lived experience and reflections of a young resident of the Complexo do Salgueiro favelas in the municipality of São Gonçalo relaying the precariousness of energy supply in […]

#ParticipationWatch

Clandestine Electrical Connections in Favelas: Theft or Distributional Justice?

By Douglas Heliodoro • Translation by Gianna Giordani • January 13, 2021

Clique aqui para Português This article is part of a series about energy justice and efficiency in Rio’s favelas. In an article for the journal Energy Research & Social Science—which was the subject of a […]

#CommunityMedia

Broken Connection Part 2: Polygons of Disconnection

By data_labe, Escola de Jornalismo Énois • Translation by Cheyne Bull, Desirée Poets • February 1, 2018

Clique aqui para Português This is the second article in a four-part series on Internet access access in favelas and urban peripheries in Brazil. Don’t miss part one here. For the entire original article in Portuguese […]

#GentrificationWatch

Electricity Meters Cause Controversy in Rio’s Favelas

By Bruno Carvalho • Translation by Tamara Katoni • March 21, 2016

Clique aqui para Português For the original article by Bruno Carvalho in Portuguese published in CartaCapital click here. A significant rise in electricity costs cause panic and contribute to the flight of residents from communities in the South […]

Posts pagination

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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
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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
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