Maria Leticia Santos

A Brazilian urban planner who pioneered participatory budgeting reforms in Rio de Janeiro's favelas.

Maria Leticia Santos (born 1975) is a Brazilian urban planner and sociologist known for transforming governance in Rio de Janeiro's favelas through participatory budgeting. As director of the City Hall's Special Secretariat for Favelas, she designed programs allowing residents to directly allocate municipal funds to community projects. This approach increased sanitation infrastructure, education access, and security in marginalized areas while reducing police violence through community partnerships.

Santos' work challenges traditional top-down urban policies by centering residents' voices in decision-making. Her research on informal settlements, including Urban Justice and the City, has influenced urban policy globally. She co-founded the Urban Age Network, connecting favela leaders with policymakers in over 20 countries. Her advocacy led to the 2018 UN Habitat III recognition of participatory budgeting as a model for sustainable urban development.

Despite facing backlash from real estate interests, Santos continues to empower favela communities through initiatives like the Favela Observatory, which monitors housing rights violations. Her contributions redefine urban equity, proving that marginalized communities can drive systemic change when given decision-making power.