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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
HomeVila Cruzeiro

Vila Cruzeiro

According to one of the recent poll, 87% of Rio's favelas residents supposedly support the police operation that led to the deadliest massacre in Rio de Janeiro's History. Nevertheless, nation-wide favela-led post-massacre protests have shown otherwise. The sign reads 'Resident, Not a Criminal.' Photo: Vinícius Ribeiro
#MediaWatch

Why the Pre-Electoral Opinion Polling Published Following Rio de Janeiro’s ‘Mega Police Operation’ Is Misleading

By Scott Salmon • November 7, 2025

Clique aqui para Português On Tuesday, October 28, Brazil’s deadliest police operation resulted in over 120 people dead, leaving bodies behind wherever they fell, strewn for neighbors and families to retrieve, in the Alemão and […]

*Highlight

Ancestral Wisdom and Community Ties Flourish in a Favela Community Garden: ‘Recovering Our Ancestry… Integrating with Nature’

By Bárbara Dias • Translation by Fred Hanson • October 31, 2025

Clique aqui para Português The community of Parque Arará, one of the favelas that make up Complexo do Arará in Benfica, Rio de Janeiro’s North Zone, gathered on the morning of October 7 for a […]

#CommunityMedia

2023 Retrospective of Best International Reporting on Rio’s Favelas (10th Edition)

By RioOnWatch Editorial • Translation by Staff • January 31, 2024

Clique aqui para Português This is the 10th edition of our media watchdog series Best and Worst International Reporting on Rio’s Favelas, part of RioOnWatch’s ongoing conversation on the media narrative and portrayal of favelas. A Significant Improvement in […]

*Highlight

Public Hearing ‘The Human Right to Water: High Fees and No Water?’ Tackles Water Security in Rio de Janeiro

By Rafael Lopes • Translation by Hannah McKenzie • December 15, 2023

Clique aqui para Português The frequent problems related to water access faced by residents of Greater Rio de Janeiro were debated during a recent public hearing entitled “The Human Right to Water: High Fees and […]

*Highlight

Documentary on ‘Researching and Monitoring Water and Energy Justice in the Favelas’ Course Now With English Subtitles [VIDEO]

By Kayo Moura • Translation by Staff • July 30, 2023

Clique aqui para Português The “Monitoring Water and Energy Justice in the Favelas” research course was initially conceived in late 2020 by favela collectives involved in the Covid-19 in Favelas Unified Dashboard (PUF). The dozens […]

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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.
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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
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