• English
  • Português
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
RioOnWatch
  • Home
    • Highlighted Stories
    • Understanding Rio
    • Reference Articles
  • 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
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
Homelong commutes

long commutes

*Highlight

Pedala Queimados: Biking to ‘Change the Zip Code of Opportunity’ [PROFILE]

By Ben Bildsten • September 3, 2019

Clique aqui para Português Initiative: Pedala Queimados (“Cycle Queimados”) Contact: Facebook | Instagram | Email Year Founded: 2016 Community: Queimados (Baixada Fluminense) Mission: To stimulate the use of cycling as a means of transportation, democratize land […]

#HousingWatch

The Results Are In: Costly Mega-Event Transport Projects Did Not Expand Mobility, Address Inequalities

By Cerianne Robertson • November 9, 2017

Clique aqui para Português “The city’s decision to bid to host the 2016 Games was made based on a long-term vision: to grasp the opportunity that a successful bid would offer to transform Rio into […]

Event Reports

New Film, ‘Trajetos,’ Tells Everyday Stories of Love, Hardship and Reflection on Rio’s Long Bus Routes

By Stephanie Reist • August 8, 2017

Clique aqui para Português Trajetos (Routes), a film produced by Rio de Janeiro-based audiovisual collective Canal Plá, will premier this Saturday August 12 at 8pm in Nova Iguaçu in the Praça dos Direitos Humanos (Human Rights […]

Public State School. Source: Universidade do Cotidiano
*Highlight

School Closings Take a Toll on Students, Teachers, and Families Across Rio

By Emilia Sens • May 17, 2017

Clique aqui para Português As Rio de Janeiro becomes further engulfed in its financial crisis, the state’s education sector has been suffering major setbacks. To combat the possibility of bankruptcy, the state announced that as many […]

*Highlight

ComPosições Políticas Art Exhibition Offers Critical Image of Rio

By Stephanie Reist • May 9, 2016

Clique aqui para Português From April 2 through May 21, the Centro Municipal de Arte Hélio Oiticica (The Hélio Oiticica Municipal Art Center) is hosting the exhibition ComPosições Políticas: Outras Histórias do Rio de Janeiro (Political ComPositions: […]

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
WhatsApp +55.21.991.976.444
USA VOIP +1.301.637.7360

Volunteer | Donate

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
    • Reference Articles
  • 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

© 2025 Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International