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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
Homenarrative shifting

narrative shifting

*Highlight

Turning Affection Into Film: The Legacy of Cadu Barcellos, a Maré Native Who Brought Dignity to the Favela in Brazilian Film

By Juliana Portella • Translation by Marina Devine Guzmán • August 25, 2025

Clique aqui para Português In the North Zone of Rio de Janeiro, in the group of favelas that make up Complexo da Maré—more precisely, in the Pinheiro favela, Block 7, apartment 502: that’s where Cadu […]

#CommunityMedia

‘O Catarinão’: New Community Newspaper Strengthens Memory and Identity in Jardim Catarina, in Greater Rio de Janeiro’s São Gonçalo

By Igor Soares • Translation by Kay Alvito • August 11, 2025

Clique aqui para Português Check out our complete series of community media profiles here. Launched in October 2024, the newspaper O Catarinão portrays the favela of Jardim Catarina in São Gonçalo, a municipality in Greater Rio […]

*Highlight

Sustainable Favela Network Launches Groundbreaking ‘Favela Climate Memory’ Exhibition on May 3, Kicking Off Museums Month [RELEASE]

By Sustainable Favela Network • Translation by Staff • April 30, 2025

Clique aqui para Português The Relationship Between Rio de Janeiro’s Favelas, Climate and Nature is the Theme of the Complete ‘Favela Climate Memory’ Exhibition, Bringing an Extensive Timeline, Unprecedented Data and Unique Testimonials From 10 […]

*Highlight

In Greater Rio de Janeiro, ‘Divas Group’ Honors Marielle Franco’s Legacy by Empowering Women in Public Housing

By Carla Regina • Translation by Ujwala Murthy • March 18, 2025

Clique aqui para Português “A mantra for our lives, in the midst of this crisis: may we live with respect for all—each with her own body, each in her own way, each in her own […]

*Highlight

Watch the Vale Encantado Favela’s Sewage Treatment Bio-system and Solar Panel Launch [VIDEO]

By Alexandre Cerqueira, Jaqueline Suarez • Translation by Ethan Kaimana, Ikrom Alajoulin • July 8, 2022

 Clique aqui para Português This English-subtitled video shows the launch day for the sewage treatment biosystem and solar energy system in the small community of Vale Encantado, in Alto da Boa Vista, in Rio […]

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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.

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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
    • 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

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