A $80,000 grant has been launched to run projects that raise public awareness on human trafficking. The grant is funded by the Singapore Inter-Agency Taskforce on Trafficking in Persons.

Mr Alvin Lim, who co-chairs the task force and is the director of the workplace policy and strategy division at the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), announced the grant on Friday. He said :"This grant would push our existing collaboration efforts to the next level as we step up our fight against trafficking-in-persons crime, and the taskforce aims to encourage more of such efforts on the ground between various stakeholders."

The taskforce also noted that has developed standard operating procedures for government officers to handle and investigate trafficking cases and gone on overseas trips to Taiwan and Thailand to learn how they handle similar issues. It is also studying the possibility of setting up a shelter for trafficking victims.

More information on the fund can be found on MOM's website. Applications are open from Feb 1 to March 31.