Dataset resulting from two surveys carried out with 2645 respondents in 108 communities in Colombia on people’s experiences of violence during the war and after the signing of the peace agreement between the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). It also covers current security conditions, socioeconomic indicators, political behaviour, social relations, state presence, public goods provision in communities as well as sources and perceptions of local authority. The survey was carried out in 64 communities which experienced some form of non-state armed group presence at some point between the 1960s and 2012; as well as 44 communities without the presence of armed groups (as control). By comparing conflict and non-conflict communities, the study identifies some of the distinct challenges and opportunities that former war zones face as they navigate the difficult transition from war to peace. The survey forms part of a longitudinal study of individuals and communities both during and after civil war. Previous waves of data collection took place in 2012, collecting evidence on the presence and activities of armed groups throughout the war and the responses of local communities; and in 2016, a few months before the demobilization of FARC. Within the context of the Drugs and (Dis)order project, aim was to investigate the distinct experiences of communities with coca crops, drug trafficking, or both, and how these illicit economies can influence communities’ trajectories after the signing of the peace agreement.Drugs & (dis)order is a Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) project generating new evidence on how to transform illicit drug economies into peace economies in Afghanistan, Colombia and Myanmar. By 2030, more than 50% of the world’s poor will live in fragile and conflict-affected states. And many of today’s armed conflicts are fuelled by illicit drug economies in borderland regions. Trillions of dollars have been spent on the War on Drugs, but securitised approaches have failed. In fact, they often increase state fragility and adversely affect the health and livelihoods of communities and households. In light of these failures, there’s increasing recognition that drug policies need to be more pro-poor and aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). But the evidence base for this policy reform is patchy, politicised and contested. Drugs & (dis)order is helping to generate pro-poor policy solutions to transform illicit economies into peace economies. To do this we will: (1) Generate a robust evidence base on illicit drug economies and their effects on armed conflict, public health and livelihoods. (2) Identify new approaches and policy solutions to build more inclusive development and sustainable livelihoods in drugs affected contexts. (3) Build a global network of researchers and institutions in Afghanistan, Colombia, Myanmar and the UK to continue this work.

A questionnaire instrument was developed for the survey, with questions on people’s lives and aspects of their community and municipality. The survey was carried out by enumerators of survey company Cifras y Conceptos using questionnaire forms. The survey in conflict communities was carried out with a total of 1,517 people. The survey in non-conflict communities was conducted with 1,128 people and was slightly shorter as some questions on the presence of armed groups and community responses to such presence were not included.