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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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*Highlight

Water Justice in Rocinha: Chronic Water Shortages, a Constant Battle

By Fernando Gomes, Karen Fontoura, Rodrigo Silva • Translation by Hannah McKenzie • January 16, 2024

Clique aqui para Português This is the first in a series of articles on water justice in the favelas resulting from the course “Climate Justice in Community Journalism: From Pitching to Writing.” The course, conducted […]

*Highlight

Brazil’s Catholic Church as an Ally: Favelas Pastoral Committee Celebrates 46 Years Defending Housing Rights in Rio de Janeiro

By Mario Brum • Translation by Staff • October 25, 2023

Clique aqui para Português In 2023, the Favelas Pastoral Committee celebrates its 46th anniversary. A Catholic Church institution, the Pastoral Committee holds a rich history of supporting the struggles of Rio de Janeiro’s favela residents. A […]

*Highlight

Favela Climate Memory Circles, Part 2: Sankofa Museum in Rocinha Shows That ‘When We Fight Together, We Win’

By Leonardo Coelho • Translation by Mikayla Ribeiro • September 26, 2023

Clique aqui para Português On June 17, 2023, Rio de Janeiro’s Sustainable Favela Network (SFN)* launched its Favela Climate Memory Exhibition, the culmination of five day-long climate memory circles held by favela community museums between January and March. […]

'Collect Maré' Project of Jorge Amado Popular Library promotes environmental awareness through reading, graffiti, and poetry in front of Herbet Viana Cultural Space, in Complexo da Maré. Photo: Gabriel Loiola
*Highlight

Leaders at Ten Cultural Spaces, Art Centers, and Museums in Rio Create Climate Projects Using Culture, Art, and Sustainability

By Thaís Cavalcante • Translation by Ezra Spira-Cohen • September 21, 2023

Clique aqui para Português “Creating awareness is a continuous process that we must incorporate into our daily lives. In this way, beginning with a big push, we are going to think about socio-environmental rights based […]

Demonstrators take to the streets to defend Lula's legacy in the favelas. Photo: Bárbara Dias/RioOnWatch
*Highlight

March in Rio de Janeiro’s Largest Favela, Rocinha, Prefaced Highest Vote Share for Lula in the City [PHOTO-ESSAY]

By Bárbara Dias • Translation by Staff • November 10, 2022

Clique aqui para Português On Saturday afternoon, October 29, a few hours before the 2022 runoff presidential election, as then-candidate Lula marched along Avenida Paulista in São Paulo, Residents of Rio de Janeiro’s largest favela, […]

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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.
A Project of

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.

Contact & Support

contact@rioonwatch.org
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10 Years! Check Out Our Story:

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
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  • Policies
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    • 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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    • Translated Articles
  • About
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