Join us on June 6 at 8 p.m. ET to help us test out Mobil-Eyes-Us, an app that connects frontline human rights defenders with distant supporters in real time
Activists in Rio de Janeiro have been fighting to defend their homes for years, and they urgently need your support and solidarity. Join our livestream tomorrow to show these brave community leaders, and government officials, that the world is watching and demanding change. This Thursday, August 31, the state government of Rio de Janeiro will make the call for bids for the construction work on the land known as Favela da Skol, located in Complexo do Alemão. The event will be broadcast live, at 12pm UTC time (9am RIO; 8am NY), by one of the most prominent and inspiring community leaders, Camila Moradia from Quero minha casa. The livestream will include English translation and additional local context through the support of WITNESS’ Mobil-Eyes Us project. Since 2009, about 500 families who occupied the land – where the Skol brewery was once located – have been removed on the grounds that the homes were at risk because of the presence of the abandoned brewery building. During his time as deputy governor of Rio, Luiz Fernando Pezão (who is now governor) promised that he would deliver new homes within nine months. Seven years have gone by and the residents still remain without adequate housing. And they
We are excited to announce that WITNESS’ Mobil-Eyes-Us project was recently awarded a grant from the New Media Ventures Innovation Fund!
Last week’s killings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, and the attack on police in Dallas, once again thrust the role of eyewitness video in the spotlight. We provide resources and guidance for filming, sharing, curating and preserving video of police violence.
WITNESS has worked alongside Brazilian activists for more than five years to strengthen their use of video to document human rights abuses in the lead-up to the 2016 Olympics, and to advocate for justice.