Pelo telefone: Rumors, truths and myths in the ‘pacification’ of the favelas of Rio de Janeiro

The phenomenon of humanitarian engagement with situations of urban violence has attracted growing interest from academics, and practitioners in recent years. Yet the subject remains shrouded with myths and misconceptions. Much violence in the world today takes place outside formal conflict zones, in what are sometimes referred to as ‘fragile settings’. The purpose of the paper is to provide a detailed, factual assessment of one such operation, the so-called ‘pacification’ of the favelas of Rio de Janeiro, written from a humanitarian and human rights perspective.