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Latest News
  • [ 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
HomeSebrae

Sebrae

Project supports women entrepeneurs from Rio's West Zone during the pandemic. Photo: Ana Lemos
#CoronavirusWatch

Amid the Pandemic, Women from Rio’s West Zone Reinvent Their Businesses

By Aira Nascimento, Anna Lemos, Flávia Domingues, Heloisa Mazza, Mariane Diaz • Translation by Fred Hanson • May 29, 2021

Clique aqui para Português This is our latest article about Covid-19 and its impacts on the favelas. It is also part of a series created in partnership with the Behner Stiefel Center for Brazilian Studies at San […]

#HousingWatch

A Bridge Too Far? Land Titling For What? Debates on Favelas in Rio Speak Very Different Languages

By Ezra Spira-Cohen • September 24, 2018

Clique aqui para Português Two events held on Tuesday, September 18 demonstrated an enormous divide between groups working on issues related to favelas and favela residents in Rio de Janeiro. Both events had more than […]

*Highlight

Creative Business: The Unique Driver of Entrepreneurship in Maré

By Thaís Cavalcante • Translation by Jiselle Steele • April 4, 2018

Clique aqui para Português In Rio de Janeiro’s favelas, enterprising residents with their own businesses respond to their neighbors’ needs. In the favela complex of Maré alone, there are over 140,000 residents spread across 17 favelas. Each […]

*Highlight

Frutchá-Workshop for Conscious, Raw, and Vegan Food in City of God #SustainableFavelaNetwork [PROFILE]

By Juliana Torres • Translation by Grace Atwell • November 24, 2017

Clique aqui para Português Initiative: Frutchá – Workshop for Conscious, Raw, and Vegan Food Contact: WhatsApp +55.21.999.714.373 | Email Year Founded: 2017 Community: City of God Mission: To provide awareness and access to healthy and conscious food […]

#LegacyWatch

One Year After the Olympics: What Remains in Rio and in Complexo do Alemão? [OPINION]

By Cléber Araujo • Translation by Sharonya Vadakattu • August 18, 2017

Clique aqui para Português What moves afflicted hearts in these days of chaos and insecurity? In the present day, the constant fear and state of panic that everyone lives in is perceptible. A single step […]

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
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  • Communities
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  • Policies
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    • 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
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