From July 22-29 2011, WITNESS and Brazilian networks CMP-RJ, MNLM-RJ, and UMP-RJ organized an 8-day video advocacy training in Rio de Janeiro for 16 local activists.

The training focused on the strategic use of video in advocacy to stop the forced evictions happening in Rio as a result of the construction projects underway for the sporting mega-events Brazil will host in coming years (most notably the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympics).

The local activists represented directly affected communities as well as activist groups and social movements that are working to stop illegal evictions and demand accountability for the abuses from local authorities.

Conducted in partnership with NGO Catalytic Communities, the training in Rio is part of a broader national partnership in Brazil with the FNRU network (National Forum on Urban Reform) and an international partnership with the Habitat International Coalition (HIC) network and its Latin America office.

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For more on the training, see this blog post: http://blog.witness.org/2011/08/forced-evictions-training-in-rio-de-janeiro
For more videos on forced evictions in Rio, watch the Voices of the Mission series: http://www.youtube.com/user/PriscilaWITNESS#grid/user/B359E43200FA21B8
To follow and support the campaign, visit http://www.witness.org/campaigns/forced-evictions