The Observatório de Favelas (“Slum Observatory”) is a social organization that undertakes research, consultancy and public actions to produce knowledge and elaborate political proposals focused on slums and urban issues. The Observatório aims at implementing an agenda of “Rights to the City” based on a new definition of the slums, extending this to public policies.

Founded in 2001, Observatório de Favelas is a non-governmental organization with headquarters in Maré, Rio de Janeiro, and operates throughout Brazil. The founders and current members are researchers and professionals whose own roots lie in the slums.

The Observatório’s mission is to elaborate concepts, projects, programs and practices that contribute to the formulation, monitoring and evaluation of public policies designed to overcome social inequalities. To be effective, these policies must be designed to extend rights, encourage participatory citizenship and guarantee human rights in the slums.