Barbara Lochbihler studied political science,economics and international law in Munich. She served as the personalparliamentary consultant to Prof. Eleonore Romberg, Member of the BavarianState Parliament in Munich, from 1987 to 1991.

She then spent seven years as Secretary General of theWomen's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) in Geneva. BarbaraLochbihler is Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the StiftungMenschenrechte (Human Rights Forum), and a founding member of the GermanInstitute for Human Rights. From 1999 to June 2009, she served as SecretaryGeneral of Amnesty International Germany.

In June2009, she was elected to the European Parliament on the Green Party ticket.