In 1996, Govender declined to be the ANC's woman speaker of government's neo-liberal economic policy GEAR) launch in parliament and her pro-choice abortion speech in support of the Choice on Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1996 received a prize from a newspaper.

Author and journalist Mark Gevisser explained in 2007 how, “Only one elected ANC representative, Pregs Govender, the chair of a parliamentary committee on the status of women, resigned and publicly criticised Mbeki.

And even behind closed doors only one or two people actually had the courage to tell Mbeki they thought he was wrong.” In 2007, Govender was elected Chair of the Independent Panel Assessment of Parliament, which proposed stronger oversight and electoral reform.

As Commissioner for the South African Human Rights Commission and as its Deputy Chair (2009-2015), Govender drove implementation of SAHRC findings at local and provincial level.

She has conducted local and international workshops on using the power of love and courage to be insubordinate to injustice, including teaching practical skills in relation to gender budgets and policy.

Her awards include the Ashoka Fellowship, an honorary doctorate in Law and one in Philosophy, the inaugural Ruth First fellowship for courageous writing and activism, the Thousand Currents Artist in Residence, and the International Association for Women's Rights in Development (AWID) Inspiration Award for her “initiative, leadership, and unrelenting commitment [that] have made a significant impact in advancing gender equality and social justice around the world”.

Govender has written op-eds for a variety of top South African news publications, including the Mail & Guardian, the Sunday Times and Daily Maverick.