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Latest News
  • [ June 21, 2025 ] ‘We’re Working at the Micro Level Because There Are People Destroying Things on a Macro Scale’: In Rio de Janeiro, ‘Green Roof Favela’ Engages Popular Culture on World Environment Day Civil Society
  • [ June 20, 2025 ] Get to Know ‘Gaia Space’, A Network of Women Fighting for Environmental Justice and Obstetric Dignity in Greater Rio de Janeiro *Highlight
  • [ June 10, 2025 ] Groundbreaking Oral History Project—‘Favela Climate Memory’—Launches Final Exhibition, Fostering Emotional Connection Between Climate, Nature and Community [Video] *Highlight
  • [ June 7, 2025 ] ‘Being a Black Woman Running a Museum Means Facing the Past, Eye to Eye… It’s Reparation in Motion’: Sinara Rúbia’s Full Speech at Brazil’s 1st Seminar on Anti-Racist Museums *Highlight
  • [ June 5, 2025 ] ‘A Museology That Doesn’t Serve Life Serves No Purpose’: ‘Unconventional’ Favela Museums Lead First Seminar of Rio de Janeiro’s Social Museology Network *Highlight
Homepeaceful community

peaceful community

*Highlight

Act Marks 2nd Anniversary of ‘Enough Violence! Another Maré is Possible,’ Demands Public Action

By Luisa Fenizola • Translation by Edmund Ruge • July 19, 2019

Clique aqui para Português On Wednesday, July 10, community residents and representatives from local organizations gathered in the Complexo da Maré favelas in Rio de Janeiro’s North Zone to recognize the two-year anniversary of the […]

#ParticipationWatch

Ten Lessons from Asa Branca on Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED)

By Mayu Takeda • December 16, 2017

Clique aqui para Português This is the final article in a four-part series on Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design. Founded in 1986, the favela of Asa Branca is situated in the region of Barra da Tijuca in […]

#EvictionsWatch

Vila Autódromo Steadfast Against Removals in Mayoral Negotiations

By Catherine Osborn • October 4, 2013

Clique aqui para Português On Wednesday night, over 160 Vila Autódromo residents and leaders filled the local São José Operário church to discuss their upcoming meeting with Mayor Eduardo Paes on Sunday. The mayor promised […]

No Picture
by Community Contributors

The Past and Present of Alto Camorim

By Maraci Soares • Translation by Laura Premack • November 11, 2010

The community of Alto Camorim has existed for more than 100 years; my cousin Moacir Francisco de Azevedo, who lives here and is 89 years old, was born in the community and his father, Caetano, […]

Streets of Vila Autódromo
#Rio2016

The 2016 Olympics: A Win for Rio? (Part 4/5)

By Theresa Williamson • July 29, 2010

The international press has provided positive coverage for several recent City and State initiatives. The community policing units, or “UPPs” have been successfully installed thanks to a State program in 9 favelas, driving out drug […]

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

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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
    • Book Reviews
    • Film Reviews
    • Listicles
    • Opinion
    • Reference
    • Podcasts
    • Translated Articles
  • About
    • Timeline
    • Our Reporting Policy
    • License
    • Feedback
  • For Journos
  • Donate

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