The report analyzes the security challenges, as well as the interconnected legal and socioeconomic obstacles, faced by ex-members of dissident and criminal groups participating in the Differential Assistance Process who have defected and are working to transition to civilian life and examines how these challenges impact their progress. The findings presented draw on multiple sources, including extensive desk research, primary data collected through two rounds of surveys conducted with participants in the Differential Assistance process, as well as observations made by the research team during fieldwork. The first round of surveys took place in 2022 and included 50 participants across three locations: Bogotá, Medellín and Cali. The second round was carried out in 2025 with 102 participants in total in Bogotá, Medellín, Cali and Cundinamarca.
The results highlight that differential assistance participants continue to face direct security threats, placing their physical safety at risk while simultaneously exacerbating economic vulnerability. Additionally, participants have a lack of certainty about their legal benefits and obligations, which can heighten the risk of being detected by armed and criminal groups. These overlapping challenges must be taken seriously since they complicate transitions to civilian life and increase the risk of disengagement from the Differential Assistance process. The report also offers suggestions to strengthen protection and support for participants and contribute to the dismantling of criminal structures and sustainable reintegration outcomes more broadly.