Criola

What Criola does

Criola (legal name ONG CRIOLA) is a Brazilian civil society organization founded in 1992 and headquartered at Av. Pres. Vargas 482 in downtown Rio de Janeiro. The organization's mission is to defend and promote the human rights of Black women in Brazil — cis and trans, young and adult — addressing intersectional issues of racism, sexism, lesbofobia, and transfobia. Its primary constituencies include Black women across Brazil, Black women human rights defenders facing criminalization and threats, activists and public managers engaged in anti-racist policy, and Black women affected by climate change in vulnerable territories. Criola operates through community organizing, political advocacy, coalition coordination, and public campaigns, reaching its audience via digital platforms, in-person events, partnerships with social movements, and international forums including the UN Commission on the Status of Women, the OAS, and the Permanent Forum on Afrodescendants.

Criola's core programmatic offerings span advocacy, training, and knowledge production rather than commercial technology products. Its digital ecosystem includes a central website (criola.org.br), the Multiversidade educational platform with the Gésia de Oliveira library and the Repositório Esperança Garcia on racism in the justice system, the Negras na História collaborative documentation platform developed in partnership with the Wikimedia Foundation, the Alyne platform for sharing experiences of rights violations, and the Defenda-se legal self-defense resource. The organization produces the Bem Viver Criola podcast, YouTube content, and conducts Wikipedia editatonas. Its technology stack is content-driven, relying on standard web applications and digital publishing rather than proprietary AI or ML systems. Major programs include the annual Curso da Diáspora Negra (30 participants selected from 100-200+ applicants), the Marcha das Mulheres Negras (the 2015 edition drew over 50,000 participants), the Saúde das Mulheres Negras project across 10 municipalities in Greater Rio de Janeiro, the Observatório Direitos Humanos coalition of 35 organizations, and the Coalizão para a Dignidade Menstrual.

Criola is a non-profit funded primarily through institutional grants and project-based support from foundations and international agencies, including Open Society Foundations, Ford Foundation, Global Fund for Women, Fundo Brasil, Instituto Unibanco, Instituto Ibirapitanga, Clima e Sociedade, Instituto Incube, Oxfam Brasil, and several smaller funders. In 2023/2024, Criola launched its first recurring donation campaign via the Benfeitoria platform to diversify its funding base beyond project grants. All publications, training programs, and digital resources are offered free of charge, and the organization employs approximately 38 people. Revenue figures are not publicly disclosed.

Name

Criola

Legal name

ONG CRIOLA

Website

https://criola.org.br

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Criola is a Brazilian civil society organization founded in 1992 that defends and promotes the rights of Black women through advocacy, training, publications, and coalition building, serving activists, defenders, and communities across Brazil and international forums.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Human Rights Advocacy

NAICS

Human Rights Organizations (813311), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

akta.pro primary industry

Gender Equality & Women’s Rights Advocacy (BPAGAFAD)

Keywords

• Human rights advocacy
• Racial justice programs
• Gender equity advocacy
• Civil society organization
• Community organizing campaigns

Headquarters

HQ city

Rio de Janeiro

HQ country

Brazil

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Recurring donations and institutional support: Criola launched its first recurring donation campaign in 2023/2024, inviting supporters to contribute monthly to sustain the organization's institutional work. Donations are processed through the Benfeitoria platform.
2. Institutional project funding: Criola operates primarily through grants and project-based funding from institutional donors including foundations, international organizations, and government agencies. Funding supports specific programs in health, justice, climate, and political empowerment.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Criola is a Brazilian civil society organization (ONG) founded in 1992 that defends and promotes the rights of Black women (cis and trans) in Brazil. It delivers advocacy, political incidence, publications, training programs, and coalition coordination to address racism, sexism, lesbofobia, and transfobia. Its core programs span health equity, justice system reform, climate justice, religious freedom, sexual and reproductive rights, and political empowerment, delivered through digital platforms, in-person events, and international forums.

Product overview

Criola is a civil society organization (not a technology product company) that operates primarily through advocacy, publications, and educational programs. Its digital ecosystem consists of a central website hosting various sub-initiatives including the Multiversidade educational platform, the Negras na História collaborative documentation platform with Wikimedia, the Repositório Esperança Garcia research repository, the Alyne maternal health platform, the Defenda-se legal guidance resource, a YouTube channel, a podcast series (Bem Viver Criola), and educational courses including the annual Curso da Diáspora Negra. The organization also conducts Wikipedia editatonas to address knowledge gaps. These offerings function as interconnected advocacy and educational tools rather than a unified software platform with modules.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Multiversidade: A feminist and anti-racist training space for Black women, offering publications, calls for proposals, and content for activists, public managers, and academics.
• Repositório Esperança Garcia
• Alyne
• Observatório Direitos Humanos
• Negras na História

Products and services

• Multiversidade Educational Platform Feminist and anti-racist training and publication space for Black women, providing access to publications, calls for proposals, educational content, and library services (Biblioteca Gésia de Oliveira) for activists, public managers, and academics.
• Curso da Diáspora Negra Annual online update course on the theory and political issues of the African Diaspora in the Americas, providing feminist anti-racist training for activists, students, and intellectuals, with approximately 30 selected participants per edition.
• Negras na História Platform Platform developed in partnership with Wikimedia Foundation to document, preserve, and disseminate the stories and histories of Black women, powered by collaborative editing and free knowledge production.
• Repositório Esperança Garcia Digital repository dedicated to the theme of racism in the Brazilian justice system, providing access to documents, publications, and research materials.
• Alyne Platform Platform for sharing experiences of overcoming involving violations of Black women's rights, with a focus on maternal health and reproductive rights, named in honor of Alyne Pimentel.
• Defenda-se Legal Guidance Resource Digital resource providing tips and useful information supported by law on how to proceed in cases of racism, including reporting procedures and legal resources.
• Bem Viver Criola Podcast Podcast series featuring conversations on topics relevant to Black women, including activist security, political engagement, and the Well-Being (Bem Viver) framework, available on Spotify and Google Podcasts.
• Editatonas (Wikipedia Editing Marathons) Collaborative Wikipedia editing marathons organized in partnership with Wikimedia Brasil to create and improve articles about Black Brazilian women and address knowledge gaps.
• Projeto Saúde das Mulheres Negras Multi-organization coalition coordinated by Criola across 10 municipalities in Greater Rio de Janeiro to address racial inequities in healthcare access and promote Black women's health, including mental health diagnostics.

Quantifiable outcome

• The Marcha das Mulheres Negras 2015 gathered more than 50,000 Black women from five regions of Brazil.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Wikimedia Foundation / Wikimedia BrasilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnership to develop the 'Negras na História' platform and conduct editatonas (Wikipedia editing marathons) to increase representation of Black women in free knowledge ecosystems. Part of the 'Project for Enhancing Skills in New Technologies for Racial Equity'.
• Ilê Axé OmiojuarôcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAfro-Brazilian religious community co-author of the 'Terreiros em Luta' publication (second edition) addressing religious racism and institutional strengthening of terreiro organizations.
• Ilê Axé Omi Ogun siwajúcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAfro-Brazilian religious community co-author of the 'Terreiros em Luta' publication alongside Criola and Ilê Axé Omiojuarô.
• Instituto de Raça, Igualdade e Direitos Humanos (Raça & Igualdade)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational human rights organization supporting the second edition of 'Terreiros em Luta' and broader anti-racist initiatives.
• NIREMA / PUC-RiomajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic research center at Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro, partner in the Projeto Justiça Racial and joint publication series on racism in the Brazilian justice system.
• Geledés – Instituto de Mulheres NegrasmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing sister organization in the Black women's movement, co-authoring publications and collaborating in joint advocacy, including participation in the UN Minority Forum.
• Oxfam BrasilmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDevelopment NGO co-producing the 'Desigualdade e Jovens Mulheres Negras' report and joint advocacy on racial and gender inequality.
• Aliança Midiativista Antirracista (ARMA Alliance)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlliance of anti-racist media activists co-producing the e-book 'Práticas de Comunicação Antirracista no Brasil' with Criola.
• Frente Estadual contra a Criminalização das Mulheres e pela Legalização do Aborto – Frente RiomajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState-level coalition co-organizing the 'Perspectivas 2024' encounter on democracy, abortion, and sexual and reproductive rights.
• Observatório Direitos Humanos – Crise e Covid-19coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition of 35 organizations co-founded by Criola to monitor, formulate, and systematize human rights information during the COVID-19 pandemic and Brazilian crises. Produces reports on education, health, public services, and social rights.
• Coalizão para a Dignidade MenstrualmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition co-led by Criola and including Girl Up Brasil, Plan International Brasil, UNFPA, UNICEF, and others, advocating for menstrual dignity policy and public lighting campaigns on the National Menstrual Hygiene Day.
• ManaMano (Fundo de Transformação Social)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSocial transformation fund supporting nano and micro women entrepreneurs from favelas in Greater Rio de Janeiro. Criola nominates and supports Black women entrepreneurs for the program.
• Synergia – Iniciativas em Direitos HumanosminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHuman rights initiative supporting Criola's advocacy and programmatic work.
• Race and Equality (IRI)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational organization supporting racial equality initiatives, partnering with Criola in advocacy.
• ARMA AlliancemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnti-Racism Media Activist Alliance partnership involving international collaboration with researchers in Finland (University of Tempere) on digital media activism against racism.
• Coalizão para a Dignidade MenstrualmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition led by Criola including Girl Up Brasil, Plan International Brasil, UNICEF, UNFPA, and Serenas, advocating for menstrual dignity policy and initiating public lighting campaigns on the National Menstrual Hygiene Day.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Artigo 19 Brasil: Brazilian arm of Article 19 focused on freedom of expression, right to protest, and protection of activists. Highly comparable to Criola in defending at-risk human rights defenders and operating coalitions on civic space.
• Raça & Igualdade (Race and Equality): International organization supporting racial equality and Black women's rights in Latin America. Co-funds publications with Criola and operates in adjacent UN/OAS advocacy spaces.
• Geledés Instituto de Mulheres Negras: The longest-standing sister organization in the Brazilian Black women's movement; co-produces publications and co-presents at UN forums alongside Criola. Both organizations defend Black women's rights through advocacy, publications, and training, serving overlapping constituencies.
• Conectas Direitos Humanos: Major Brazilian human rights NGO with international advocacy at the UN. Mirrors Criola's profile as a Brazil-based NGO with international forum access, coalition leadership, and publication-driven advocacy.
• Irohìn Centro de Educação e Cultura Negra: Brazilian anti-racist education and documentation center that partnered with Criola on workshops about the political legacy of the Black Movement. Operates a similar content-library and training model for racial justice audiences.
• Odara Instituto da Mulher Negra: Brazilian Black feminist organization focused on Black women's rights, political participation, and well-being. Direct peer in mission, target population, and advocacy-style programming.
• CEERT – Centro de Estudos das Relações de Trabalho e Desigualdades: Brazilian NGO producing research, training, and advocacy on racial and gender inequalities in the labor market. Comparable to Criola in combining research, publications, and policy incidence for racial equity.

Broad incumbents

• Oxfam Brasil: Large international development NGO with a Brazilian country office; co-produced the 'Desigualdade e Jovens Mulheres Negras' report with Criola. Operates in adjacent racial and gender justice space at significantly larger scale.

Others

• Fundo Brasil de Direitos Humanos: Brazilian independent human rights fund that both funds and partners with Criola. Acts as a peer in the Brazilian human rights funding ecosystem and convenes similar NGO coalitions.
• Wikimedia Brasil / Wikimedia Foundation: Strategic co-development partner on the Negras na História platform and editatonas. Comparable because Wikimedia operates a global digital knowledge ecosystem with a content-library model similar to Criola's Multiversidade.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@Criolamulheresnegras/featured
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/criolaong

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Criola